Prophy Angles and Pastes
Inside Dental Hygiene offers essential insights on preventive care, patient education, and the latest hygiene techniques, with articles, videos, and expert guidance.
August 1, 2023
Volume 19, Issue 8, July/August 2023
Page(s): p. 22
Inside Dental Hygiene (IDH): What considerations are key when selecting prophy angles?
Jessica Atkinson, MEd, BSDH, RDH: I look for a different level of stiffness in the cup; if it is too stiff, you cannot flare that cup underneath the gingival margin. I also have used a prophy cup that has pumice embedded in it, but I was not able to get the surface-area coverage that I can with a more pliable cup.
Shelley Brown, MEd, BSDH, RDH: Some prophy angles are a bit more ergonomic, with more of a bend or an angle. A few include a splatter guard, which costs more but saves a lot of time.
IDH: What do you look for in a prophy paste?
Atkinson: I want the lowest level of grit for the efficacy of what I am doing. I always start with selective polishing; I evaluate the stain, as most can be removed with a fine polish, depending on your technique. I also want a consistency that does not crumble when I load it in the cup, before I get to the tooth.
IDH: How important is the composition of the prophy paste?
Brown: Using a fluoride-containing paste is important because polishing removes tooth structure. If you polish without a fluoride-containing paste, it is recommended that you apply a fluoride varnish afterward, but many adult patients do not want that because it costs more. Also, even if you have a fine paste, you should be using it only on enamel. It should not be used on crowns, newly erupted teeth, root surfaces, or any areas that are demineralized.
ACCLEAN® Prophy Paste with TCP provides excellent stain removal and polishing. It can enhance fluoride activity with the addition of tri-calcium phosphate, which may help enhance remineralization and prevent demineralization. This prophy paste is a splatter-free formula and rinses easily and completely. Available in a large selection of grits and flavors.
henryscheindental.com/accleanpreventives • 800-372-4346
The ProPaste™ One is a two-in-one, pre-assembled, disposable prophy ring and anti-splatter paste combo. This combination eliminates the need to autoclave or sanitize a prophy ring for the next patient. Each ring has an ideal amount of desensitizing and anti-splatter prophy paste for each procedure.
pac-dent.com • 909-839-0888
