Petersilka et al. said: “If a new form of therapy is to be considered worth integrating into standard periodontal therapy, it either has to be superior in therapy outcome or has to show other relevant advantageous aspects such as patient preference or operator convenience or economy of time or other resources.”¹

Focusing on oral hygiene, which forms the gateway to maintaining good oral and systemic health, is the need of the moment. The Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) protocol represents and follows the recommendations of the European Federation of Periodontology, stating that to have a successful treatment outcome, professional prophylaxis must be complemented by equally good oral hygiene at home.

GBT is part of a comprehensive preventive concept that aims not only to preserve patients’ oral health but also to improve patient compliance and subsequent recall attendance. It is a modular, systematic, predictable and logical solution for oral biofilm management in prophylaxis using state-of-the-art technologies such as AIRFLOW MAX, PERIOFLOW with AIRFLOW PLUS powder and PIEZON.

EMS is presenting its latest innovation at the EAO congress: the new PIEZON PI MAX instrument, developed as part of the company’s mission of continuous improvement of patient and clinician comfort. It is a unique instrument for non-surgical periodontal treatments around implants and restorations. Made of a high-tech PEEK material, it allows easy access to calculus up to 3 mm subgingivally. Using the PIEZON PI MAX instrument, which is 50% more flexible than the previous generation, calculus removal is minimally invasive and painless for patients.

The GBT protocol, which is supported by scientific evidence, was developed in 2016 by EMS, together with academics, researchers and clinicians across the globe, to overcome all the challenges related to prophylaxis that exist today. The protocol can be adapted to every clinical situation in the dental practice, from prevention of early caries and periodontal disease to maintenance and, in many cases, treatment of periodontitis and mucositis. This protocol can be applied to all patients in supportive periodontal therapy and forms the basis of treatment for patients in initial, non-surgical periodontal therapy.

GBT involves eight steps that can be modified depending on the clinical situation. The aim of this protocol is to be minimally invasive, preserve hard and soft tissue, and meet patient expectations. Like any innovation that comes into being in this day and age, when recommendations on correct usage are followed, this protocol has been proved to be highly efficacious, safe and comfortable, not only for the clinician but also for the patient.

Following the patient thorough periodontal screening and recording of the results and using a disclosing agent to visualise biofilm not only guides the patient towards pursuing better oral hygiene but also aids the clinician in achieving more efficient, predictable supragingival biofilm removal. Disclosing the biofilm also enables the clinician to build trust and confidence with the patient, since it assures quality clinical outcomes. Additionally, it improves patient motivation and helps re-educate patients on efficacious tooth cleaning, especially in areas in the mouth that are often neglected or are difficult to access.

Using the AIRFLOW technology with the Guided Laminar AIRFLOW MAX in probing depths up to 4 mm and the PERIOFLOW nozzle in deep pockets up to 9 mm with erythritol-based PLUS powder removes all supragingival and subgingival biofilm in the most minimally invasive and highly comfortable way. This helps to visualise all the supragingival calculus easily, avoiding over-instrumentation.

The erythritol-based PLUS powder is a unique, versatile solution that removes all supragingival and subgingival biofilm in only one step. It contains particles of approximately 14 μm, causes the patient no discomfort and preserves the natural integrity of teeth, dental implants, restorations, orthodontic appliances and prostheses.

If any hard calculus remains, use is made of piezoceramic ultrasonic technology by employing the PIEZON NO PAIN PS instrument. This high-quality, Swiss-made instrument, designed like a periodontal probe, is not only efficient supragingivally but also removes all stubborn calculus up to 10 mm subgingivally. A clean oral cavity without stains, biofilm or calculus supports clinicians in better visualising and checking for any caries, white spot lesions and furcations in a much more predictable way.

Enrolling patients in a regular recall system is highly dependent on their personal experience during treatment. In a survey of more than 76,000 patients, more than 92% preferred GBT and more than 98% experienced neither pain nor unpleasant sensations (the current count is 126,657 participants, in whom the results were confirmed).²

To conclude, Petersilka et al.’s assertion on the need for a superior therapy protocol that offers a number of advantages, including patient preference and operator convenience in relation to time management, is fulfilled through GBT, which has been integrated by GBT-certified practices globally.

Tags: