Having trouble brushing during orthodontic treatment at Balsan Dental Clinic? Clean thoroughly without worrying about bracket detachment with Air Flow cleaning

Hello.

A smile designer who can turn your wishes into a beautiful smile,

I am dentist Yeo Sang-ho from Balsan Dental Clinic.

These days, as interest in oral care has increased,

people often ask questions like:

Do I only need scaling once a year?

I’m in orthodontic treatment, but brushing is difficult.

How should I clean around implants?

Especially during orthodontic treatment or

after implant placement,

general brushing alone

is not enough for easy hygiene management.

But many people

do not know the difference between

scaling and Air Flow.

Today, while looking at example photos,

I’ll explain when Air Flow is needed

and how it differs from regular scaling.

Initial visit

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From the example photo prepared

at Balsan Dental Clinic,

you can see that orthodontic treatment

is in progress.

When brackets are attached,

food debris often gets trapped.

Even if you try to remove food debris

with an interdental brush,

using it the wrong way can push it deeper,

causing discomfort and pain when chewing,

as well as inflammation.

When management is difficult like this,

Air Flow scaling

can help keep the mouth clean.

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According to the oral examination result,

a bacterial film is visible on the tooth surface.

Plaque had accumulated around the brackets,

and as a result,

gum inflammation was present.

When brackets and wires are attached,

there are many areas that are hard for brush bristles to reach.

That is why,

even if you take very careful care at home,

it is difficult to completely remove

the bacterial film around the brackets.

In particular, the spaces between teeth and

the area below the brackets

can easily become blind spots.

What happens if an ultrasonic scaler is used?

An ultrasonic scaler is a device

that removes tartar with strong vibration.

However, because brackets are attached

to the tooth surface with adhesive,

there is a risk that the brackets may detach

when vibration is applied.

Also, if the metal tip touches the bracket directly,

the appliance may be damaged.

So how should you manage care

during this kind of treatment?

Air Flow

uses fine powder, water, and air pressure

to gently and precisely remove plaque,

staining, and food debris.

Because it uses a powder spray

instead of ultrasonic vibration,

it does not damage brackets or implants.

Just as a pressure washer

cleans the exterior walls of a building,

it can smoothly clean around the teeth and appliances

without irritation.

Differences from regular scaling

Many people know

that scaling is done once a year.

But often they are not sure

when or how Air Flow should be received.

At Balsan Dental Clinic,

we will summarize the difference

between the two procedures.

​	Ultrasonic scaling	Air Flow
Principle	Ultrasonic vibration	Air + water + powder spray
Removal target	Hard tartar	Mainly staining, plaque, and bacterial film
Level of stimulation	Relatively strong (may feel sensitive)	Less irritating and gentle
Suitable for	People with a lot of tartar, periodontal disease patients	Sensitive people, implant/orthodontic patients
Recommended interval	Once every 6–12 months	Every 3–6 months

Procedure

By spraying fine powder (glycine, erythritol, etc.)

and water under air pressure,

the entire area, including plaque,

staining, and the area around prosthetics,

is cleaned precisely.

The area around orthodontic brackets and

beneath the wire

can also be cleaned thoroughly.

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Completion of the procedure and oral rinse

Rinse away residual powder and foreign matter,

and if necessary,

an antibacterial cleanser is used.

As a result,

the bacterial film and staining

that had accumulated around the brackets

were removed cleanly.

This can be performed without pain or discomfort during the procedure,

and gum inflammation can also improve quickly.

When is it needed?

At Balsan Dental Clinic,

we will specifically summarize the cases

in which Air Flow is especially necessary.

1. When plaque management is difficult or

there is a history of periodontal disease

Bacterial film is not easily visible,

but it is a risk factor that is a major cause

of cavities and periodontal disease.

It is a sticky film formed by bacteria,

and if left as is,

it can cause inflammation and even damage

the bone around the teeth.

2. When there is a lot of staining due to

smoking, coffee, wine, etc.

Coffee, red wine, and tobacco contain

pigment components that adhere easily to the tooth surface.

When these pigments build up together

on the dental bacterial film,

a layer forms that is difficult to remove

with regular scaling.

After Air Flow treatment,

your teeth may look noticeably brighter

and feel smoother.

However, to maintain this condition for a long time,

lifestyle habits must also change.

3. During orthodontic treatment or

when undergoing implant procedures

Teeth under orthodontic treatment or the area around implants

have complex structures or are made of metal,

so the ultrasonic scaler tip

may not reach properly,

or contact itself may be risky.

Because bacteria can more easily adhere to such flaws,

Air Flow is the safer choice.

4. When wear is severe and

contact with the cervical area causes

sensitivity when the scaler touches it

Because an ultrasonic scaler

breaks up tartar

using vibration,

if it touches the cervical area where dentin is exposed,

the vibration can be transmitted to the nerve

and cause sensitivity.

Because Airflow uses a delicate powder-spraying method

rather than vibration,

there is almost no irritation,

and even when it reaches sensitive areas,

it can clean without causing sensitivity.

At Balsan Dental Clinic,

when patients refuse scaling because of sensitivity,

we often explain that this is a suitable method.

Conclusion:

Scaling + Air Flow = complete preventive care

If scaling

focuses on removing hard tartar,

Air Flow

is suitable for managing soft bacterial film,

staining,

and blind spots.

When these two are done together,

not only can cavities and periodontal disease be prevented,

but comprehensive oral care is also possible,

including aesthetic maintenance and protection of prosthetics.

Personally,

I believe prevention is more important than treatment.

That is because if small problems are found and managed early,

you do not have to undergo major treatment later.

I hope this information was helpful to you,

and I’ll end the post here.

This was dentist Yeo Sang-ho from Balsan Dental Clinic.

Thank you for reading this long post.

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