How Hu-Friedy is enhancing prophylaxis protocol with three key components

Q:Hu-Friedy announced a strategic alliance with Electro Medical Systems in February to deliver the most clinically advanced prophylaxis protocol to the U.S. and Canadian markets. Why is this alliance important and how is it going to impact the dental industry?

A: Hu-Friedy is always looking for new ways to help clinicians perform at their best. Listening to our customers and key opinion leaders, we identified two opportunities in the area of prophylaxis treatment. First, we needed to better address the issues of biofilm removal and peri-implantitis. Second, we saw air polishing as a logical addition to our product line because the advancements being made in technology align with the biofilm management initiative.

Our desire to address these needs led us to the strategic alliance with EMS, an ideal partner not only because of their exceptional product technology, but also because we share a commitment to innovation, quality and education. 

Through this alliance, Hu-Friedy now delivers three key components of the most advanced prophylaxis protocol: AIR-FLOW therapy, Piezo power scaling and hand scaling instrumentation. 

However, simply offering the best products isn’t enough. Our industry is benefitting from remarkable advancements in technology, which makes it critical for clinicians to stay up to date on best practices and how they can achieve improved clinical outcomes. We support this continued learning through clinical education and training programs, product demo opportunities, evidence-based research and collaboration with key opinion leaders.

Q: To combat the growing epidemic of periodontal disease, there seems to be an increasing emphasis on preventive care in dentistry. How will Hu-Friedy’s new offering help improve preventive treatments? 

A: The shared goal of the dental community is to preserve natural, healthy teeth. According to the CDC^*, nearly 65 million U.S. adults over age 30 have periodontal disease. The good news is that clinical evidence suggests the majority of these cases can be prevented with regular professional prophylaxis treatment. 

Our focus with this new offering is to improve the way prophylaxis and biofilm management are approached, with an emphasis on efficacy and patient comfort to promote continued regular preventive dental visits.

Q: Why is it important for hygienists and dentists to incorporate these three prophy solutions into their treatment plans? 

A: We are taking a stance, as leaders do, that hand instrumentation, Piezo power scaling and Air Flow therapy are key components of comprehensive prophylaxis treatment. We support this approach by delivering the most advanced products in each category. Clinicians can then determine which combination of technologies works best given the presenting state of the patient. Selecting the right mix of instruments and technology for the specific clinical need allows for more tailored treatment planning and helps ensure that time is used efficiently. 

Q: What are the product qualities of the hand scaling, Piezo and AIR-FLOW products, and how do they help with biofilm removal and management?

A: A critical step in preventing periodontal disease is to regularly manage supragingival and subgingival biofilm through disruption. Each of these three technologies accomplishes this and offers unique advantages that make them ideal for various clinical situations.

Our AIR-FLOW^® Air Polishing devices and innovative powders deliver the most advanced and effective method for supragingival and subgingival biofilm management and stain removal before scaling treatment even begins. When used subgingivally, the AIR-FLOW devices and powders can reduce periodontal pocket depth, disrupt biofilm and aid in the prevention of peri-implant diseases. 

Our Piezon^® Power Scaling products combine intuitive Swiss design with precision piezoelectric technology, uniform power output and superior ergonomics to optimize treatment efficiency and increase comfort for both patient and practitioner.

The Piezon ultrasonic products can be used in even the most difficult or sensitive cases, including subgingival fine scaling, implant maintenance and endodontic treatments.

Our exclusive line of high-quality hand scaling instrumentation offers more than 1,000 designs for every type of scaling procedure to meet the unique clinical preferences of our customers. With the three options at their fingertips, practitioners are well positioned to achieve positive outcomes for each prophylaxis treatment, while providing a comfortable, efficient and effective treatment to their patients. 

* Eke PI, Dye B, Wei L, Thornton-Evans G, Genco R. Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010; Journal of Dental Research, Published online Aug. 30, 2012: 1-7.