Last reviewed: October 20, 2026 · DentalAirPolisher Editorial Team
Sixteen devices from eight brands side by side, with no single winner. The right choice depends on the device type, the powders you need and your budget.
There is no single best dental air polisher. The devices fall into three groups: handpieces that run on the dental unit, tabletop air polishers that do air polishing only, and combined tabletop systems that add ultrasonic scaling. The biggest practical differences are powder options and subgingival capability. In the United States and Canada, erythritol powder is sold by EMS for use with its own devices (FDA K171189 clears the AIRFLOW PLUS powder). Other brands document glycine, sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate. Check each manufacturer's instructions for use for the powders it approves.
If you are new to the category, start with what a dental air polisher is. Shortlisting a combined system? The EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master page has specs and a free quote request.
Brands are listed alphabetically. "Not disclosed" means we found no public documentation. Regulatory records were queried October 16, 2026 in the openFDA 510(k) database and Health Canada's Medical Devices Active Licence Listing (MDALL). A 510(k) is a finding of substantial equivalence, not an FDA approval. "No record found" does not prove a device cannot be sold: it means we could not verify it, so ask the supplier.
| Device | Type | Documented powders | Subgingival | FDA 510(k) | Health Canada (MDALL) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acteon AIR-N-GO easy | Handpiece | Sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, glycine | Yes, therapeutic mode with glycine | K110379 "AIR-N-GO" (2011); confirm it covers "easy" | 96377 | Price on request |
| Acteon OPUS | Combined tabletop | Sodium bicarbonate, glycine (SILKY powders) | Yes, reusable periodontal nozzles | No record found | No record found | Price on request |
| Dentsply Sirona Cavitron Prophy-Jet | Tabletop air polisher | Sodium bicarbonate (Prophy-Jet), JET-Fresh (aluminum trihydroxide) | Not documented in the FDA summary; confirm with Dentsply Sirona | K130862 (2013) | 91165 | Price on request |
| Dentsply Sirona Cavitron Jet Plus | Combined tabletop | Cavitron prophy powders | Confirm with supplier | Confirm with supplier | 70193 | Price on request |
| EMS AIRFLOW Handy 3.0 PLUS | Handpiece | Erythritol (AIRFLOW PLUS) | Yes, pockets up to 4 mm (EMS) | K132478; K151912 | 104102 (Handy 3.0 handpiece) | Price on request |
| EMS AIRFLOW Handy 3.0 Classic | Handpiece | Sodium bicarbonate (CLASSIC), COMFORT, SOFT | No (supragingival, per EMS) | K132478; K151912 | 104102 | Price on request |
| EMS AIRFLOW One | Tabletop air polisher | Sodium bicarbonate (CLASSIC), erythritol (PLUS) | Yes, PERIOFLOW MAX handpiece (EMS U.S. page) | K190124 | 102647 | Price on request |
| EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master | Combined tabletop | Erythritol, sodium bicarbonate, glycine | Yes, PERIOFLOW | K190124 | 102646 | Price on request |
| EMS GBT Machine | Combined tabletop | Erythritol, sodium bicarbonate, glycine | Yes, PERIOFLOW MAX | K253254 (2026) | 114177 | Price on request |
| Hu-Friedy PWR Air | Tabletop air polisher | PWR Prophylaxis Powder (composition not published) | Yes, Perio function and Perio handpiece | No record found | 114969 | Price on request |
| Hu-Friedy PWR Pair | Combined tabletop | PWR Prophylaxis Powder (composition not published) | Yes, Perio handpiece for pockets over 5 mm | Not checked | Not checked | Price on request |
| Mectron Combi Touch | Combined tabletop | Sodium bicarbonate (soft L, soft M), glycine (sensitive+) | Yes: 90°/120° nozzles up to 5 mm; PERIO handpiece (perio set) beyond 5 mm | K231391 (2023) | 98936 | Price on request |
| NSK Perio-Mate | Subgingival handpiece | Confirm with supplier | Yes | Not checked | Not checked | Price on request |
| NSK Prophy-Mate neo | Handpiece | Calcium carbonate, glycine | Use NSK Perio-Mate | K112673 (2012) | No licence found for the neo | Price on request |
| NSK Varios Combi Pro2 | Combined tabletop | Calcium carbonate (FLASH pearl); glycine (SOFT pearl, Perio Mate Powder) | Yes, Perio Kit2 | K260773 (2026) | 115743 | Price on request |
| W&H Proxeo Aura (discontinued) | Handpiece | Sodium bicarbonate, glycine | Yes, with glycine | Not checked | Not checked | Discontinued by W&H: no current price |
| Woodpecker AP-H | Handpiece | Sodium bicarbonate, glycine | Not disclosed | K221548 is the AP-H Plus; confirm the AP-H | 114459; confirm model | Price on request |
| Woodpecker PT-E | Combined tabletop | Glycine, sodium bicarbonate | Yes, subgingival nozzle for 4–9 mm pockets (Woodpecker instructions for use) | No record found (K203615 is the PT-A) | No record found | Price on request |
EMS, Hu-Friedy and other manufacturers may not publish list prices. Quotes vary by state or province, distributor and configuration.
Published clinical studies mostly compare protocols and powders rather than individual devices. Systematic reviews find air polishing comparable to hand and ultrasonic instrumentation in supportive periodontal care, with patient-comfort advantages (Hatz et al., 2022; Martins et al., 2022). For device choice, workflow, powder options, service and price usually matter more than a clinical-outcome difference. Our buying guide walks through those factors, and erythritol vs glycine covers the powders.
There is no single best device. Handpieces suit practices that want air polishing on existing units at low cost; combined tabletop systems suit practices that want scaling and air polishing, including subgingival work, in one device. Powders, service and budget usually decide.
The EMS AIRFLOW PLUS powder is cleared by FDA (K171189, class I) and used with EMS devices such as the GBT Machine, the AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master and the AIRFLOW Handy 3.0 Plus. Other brands document glycine, sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate. Ask each supplier which powders the quote covers.
Devices with a low-abrasive powder and a subgingival option, for example the EMS PERIOFLOW systems, the NSK Perio-Mate and Varios Combi Pro2 Perio Kit2, the Mectron Combi Touch Perio set, and the Acteon AIR-N-GO in therapeutic mode. Always follow the manufacturer's labeling.
No. A 510(k) is a finding that a device is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate. Ask the supplier to confirm the clearance covers the exact model and kit you are buying.
Price on request. We request quotes from several suppliers and aim to get you the best price.