How air polishing works
An air polisher mixes compressed air, water and a powder and delivers them through a nozzle onto the tooth surface. The jet removes soft deposits, biofilm and extrinsic stain. The powder decides how abrasive the treatment is, and therefore where it can safely be used: on enamel only, or also on root surfaces, in periodontal pockets and around implants. Hard calculus is still removed with ultrasonic or hand instruments.
The three types of device
| Type | What it is | Examples (alphabetical) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-polishing handpiece | Connects to the dental unit's coupling or turbine connection and uses its air and water | Acteon AIR-N-GO, EMS AIRFLOW Handy 3.0 Plus/Supra, NSK Prophy-Mate neo, W&H Proxeo Aura, Woodpecker AP-H | Price on request |
| Tabletop air polisher | Standalone unit that does air polishing only | Dentsply Sirona Cavitron Prophy Jet, EMS AIRFLOW ONE, Hu-Friedy PWR Air | Price on request |
| Combined tabletop system | One tabletop unit with an ultrasonic scaler and an air polisher, each with its own handpiece | Acteon OPUS, EMS GBT Machine, EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master, Mectron Combi Touch, NSK Varios Combi Pro2, Woodpecker PT-E | Price on request |
The Hu-Friedy PWR Pair also belongs to the combined group: a piezo scaler and an air polisher in one tabletop unit.
Powders and where they can be used
- Erythritol (~14 µm, low abrasivity) — supragingival, subgingival and peri-implant.
- Glycine (typically ~25 µm in subgingival powders, low to medium abrasivity) — supragingival, subgingival and peri-implant.
- Calcium carbonate (~54–55 µm, medium to high abrasivity) — supragingival only (for example Acteon Pearl and NSK Flash Pearl).
- Sodium bicarbonate (typically 40–250 µm, high abrasivity) — supragingival only; contraindicated subgingivally.
Detailed comparison: erythritol vs glycine.
What the evidence shows
- An umbrella review of low-abrasive air polishing found similar results to scaling and root planing alone in active periodontitis, comparable clinical outcomes with better patient perception and shorter treatment time in supportive therapy, and no improved outcome as an adjunct in peri-implant disease (Hatz et al., 2022).
- Systematic reviews of supportive periodontal care found no difference in clinical efficacy between air polishing and hand or ultrasonic instruments (Nascimento et al., 2021; Martins et al., 2022).
- For EMS's structured Guided Biofilm Therapy protocol, two 2024 randomized trials found outcomes comparable to conventional instrumentation, one with shorter treatment time (Mensi et al., 2024; Graetz et al., 2024). See our GBT guide.
Market outlook
According to Precedence Research, the global dental air-polishing systems market was about USD 900 million in 2025 and is forecast to reach about USD 954 million in 2026 and USD 1.6 billion by 2035 (a forecast growth rate of 5.94% a year from 2026 to 2035). Tabletop units made up roughly 60% of the segment in 2025, dental clinics about 63% of revenue, and Asia-Pacific is forecast to grow fastest. These are market-research forecasts and may be revised.
Brand guides
Acteon · Dentsply Sirona (Cavitron) · EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master · EMS GBT Machine · Hu-Friedy · Mectron · NSK · W&H · Woodpecker
Frequently asked questions
What is a dental air polisher used for?
Removing biofilm, soft deposits and extrinsic stain from tooth surfaces with a jet of air, water and powder. With low-abrasive powders it is also used subgingivally and around implants.
What is the difference between a handpiece and a combined tabletop system?
A handpiece attaches to the dental unit and uses its air and water supply. A combined tabletop system is a standalone unit with both an ultrasonic scaler and an air polisher, usually with its own water and powder management.
Which powders can be used below the gumline?
Low-abrasive powders: erythritol and glycine. Sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate are for supragingival use only.
Is air polishing better than hand or ultrasonic instruments?
Systematic reviews find comparable clinical outcomes in supportive periodontal care, with advantages in patient comfort and treatment time. Air polishing does not replace instruments for removing hard calculus.
References
- Hatz CR, Janson TM, Solderer A, Bastendorf KD, Schmidlin PR, Liu CC. An Umbrella Review on Low-Abrasive Air Powder Water Jet Technology in Periodontitis and Peri-Implantitis Patients. Applied Sciences. 2022;12:7203. doi:10.3390/app12147203
- Nascimento GG, Leite FRM, Pennisi PRC, López R, Paranhos LR. Use of air polishing for supra- and subgingival biofilm removal for treatment of residual periodontal pockets and supportive periodontal care: a systematic review. Clin Oral Investig. 2021;25:779–795. doi:10.1007/s00784-020-03762-y
- Martins O, Costa A, Silva D. The efficacy of air polishing devices in supportive periodontal therapy: clinical, microbiological and patient-centerd outcomes. A systematic review. Int J Dent Hyg. 2022. doi:10.1111/idh.12635
- Mensi M, et al. Clinical Comparison of Guided Biofilm Therapy and Scaling and Root Planing in the Active Phase of Periodontitis Management. Eur J Dent. 2024;19(2):482–492. doi:10.1055/s-0044-1791221
- Graetz C, et al. Guided biofilm therapy versus conventional protocol — clinical outcomes in non-surgical periodontal therapy. BMC Oral Health. 2024. doi:10.1186/s12903-024-04898-z
- Precedence Research. Dental Air Polishing System Market Size to Hit USD 1603.54 Million by 2035. precedenceresearch.com