A Polisher Designed to Blast Away Plaque

I love the NSK Prophy-Mate neo. I say that without hesitation and after using several other air polishers. I always come back to the Prophy-Mate neo, and it’s now the only air polisher I use because it’s the best in terms of effectiveness, safety, ease of use, and clinician comfort.

I use the Prophy-Mate neo with nearly all of my patients. Exceptions include patients with infectious diseases, renal issues, respiratory disease, head and neck cancers, large open pockets, exposed cementum or dentin, and bonded margins. Otherwise, the polisher is safe to use on any patient and in the presence of everything from restorations to orthodontics and implants. 

Consider, for example, my granddaughter and her braces. She’s not unlike most young people with orthodontic appliances—she doesn’t clean them as well as she should, so food debris becomes lodged in and around the bands and wires. Using the Prophy-Mate neo with FLASH pearl cleaning powder, I’m able to literally blast off all of that material so the braces are cleaner than clean.

Designed for Power and Comfort

The design of the Prophy-Mate neo increases its effectiveness and clinician comfort. The 2 nozzles (one with a 60° angle for the posterior and the other with an 80° angle for anterior teeth) provide exceptional polishing power, which shortens cleaning time—a benefit to patients and my practice. I use the nozzles as intended, but I’ve also found that both work equally well throughout the mouth.

I hold the nozzle close to the tooth surface (about 3 to 4 mm) but never touch the tooth or the soft tissue. At an almost horizontal angle, I can easily maneuver the device so that the powder—which dispenses like a shower—sweeps across the tooth surface. The result is smooth operation and treatment efficiency.

Because the unit is lightweight, compact, and well-balanced, I don’t experience the hand and wrist discomfort that accompanies many of the instruments I use in my practice each day. And unlike other air polishing units, which have fixed nozzles, the Prophy-Mate neo rotates 360° degrees. This allows me to go all the way around the arch and just turn my thumb and finger rather than having to place myself into all sorts of awkward positions to gain access.

Maintenance Is Key

Because I’m so fond of my Prophy-Mate neo, I make sure to keep it in good working order. I follow NSK’s instructions and American Dental Association (ADA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to ensure this critical tool is ready for use each morning.

Per the ADA and CDC, I run water through all of my instruments (handpieces, ultrasonics, and air polishers) for 20 seconds at the start of the day and before and after each patient. The last thing I want when a patient is in my chair is to have no water flowing through my air polisher (or any other instrument).

After each patient, I push water through the Prophy-Mate neo for at least 10 seconds, take it apart, and perform ultrasonic cleaning of the handpiece, powder case, and nozzle with hot water to help prevent clogging. After cleaning, we use dry air to blow off water droplets from all parts. The bottom line: If you take care of this instrument, it will take care of you and your patients for years.

Easiest, Fastest, Cleanest

I think the Prophy-Mate neo offers the easiest, fastest, and cleanest way to remove biofilm. It’s the perfect combination of cleaning powder, air, and water directed at the proper angle of the tooth to blast away plaque. I can’t function without my air polisher.