Air Abrasion Made for Minimally Invasive Dentistry

It's not at all surprising that in recent years, more and more practitioners have turned to minimally invasive dentistry (MID) as their operative philosophy of choice. Compared to traditional methods of treatment, MID stems from a greater understanding of the caries process and knowledge that preserving maximum natural tooth structure leads to the best possible health outcomes for patients.

This realization comes with a small caveat, however, as dentists may need to discover new tools and materials that make conservative caries management possible. Luckily, they can turn to the RONDOflex 360 Plus with Water Spray for a variety of their treatment needs.

Blasting Caries Away

Thanks to a its exceptionally easy-to-use design and diverse range of applications, the RONDOflex Plus 360 has become a tool that Laurie Sargent, DDS, a cosmetic dentist who has used KaVo air abrasion units since 2002, simply “can’t work without.”

Under the 8x magnification that she routinely uses, Dr. Sargent explained that the benefits of the RONDOflex system are—quite literally—easy to see. “Not only can the RONDOflex Plus remove mild and incipient carious lesions using a patient-friendly, drill-less filling technique,” she said, “but it is excellent at cleaning the smear layer and debris from the internal surface of a tooth preparation, while at the same time, adding mechanical retention by creating a silicate blasting etch.” By super-cleaning teeth and establishing a uniform roughened surface texture, the RONDOflex Plus sets the stage for stronger, more reliable bonds and, ultimately, more successful restorations.

Longer-Lasting Sealants

In addition to its utility in all direct and indirect restorative procedures, Dr. Sargent has found the RONDOflex Plus 360 “essential” when it comes to placing fissurotomy sealants.

“I believe a dentist should be aggressive to be conservative,” she explained. “By this, I mean that every posterior tooth, including bicuspids, should be sealed as soon as the occlusal surface is accessible to treatment.” But, as Dr. Sargent shared, challenges do arise. “Molars are notoriously difficult for our pediatric patients to clean well, and their eruption takes a very long time. They are also often partially covered with operculum, which can trap food and plaque.” Likewise, the longer occlusal surfaces are exposed to the oral environment, the greater the chance of inadvertently sealing in bacteria, debris, and early carious processes.

RONDOflex Plus has allowed Dr. Sargent to put these common concerns to rest. When used alongside a caries detector, the air abrasion unit lets her treat occlusal grooves with high accuracy—removing stains, early caries, and hypocalcified tooth structure, while ensuring optimal adhesion of flowable resin sealants, many times without the need for anesthesia. “If a sealant is performed with these techniques, there is no reason for it not to last 2 to 3 decades or longer,” she said, noting that she’s seen patients, including her own children, whose sealants are still intact with no debonding or caries after more than 20 years.

The List of Uses Goes On…

According to Dr. Sargent, the RONDOflex Plus 360’s applications continue. “One of the very best uses of the RONDOflex is the removal of facial hypocalcification and interproximal or facial staining on the anterior teeth,” she shared. “When you have a patient with very mild hypocalcification, or stubborn yellow or brown staining between the teeth, the RONDOflex works like nothing else I've ever used to gently whisp these areas clean with a feather touch that is amazingly accurate.”

Similarly, when faced with posterior composites that show very early marginal wear or staining, RONDOflex Plus allows Dr. Sargent to open margins and rebond without having to drill into or remove the restoration. “I do not numb for this procedure, and it can extend the lifespan of a posterior composite restoration,” she said. “Once again, this is a minimally invasive yet aggressive approach to conservative tooth care.”

Elegant & Easy-to-Use Design

Because the RONDOflex Plus 360 enables clinicians like Dr. Sargent to provide minimally invasive treatment without drilling or anesthesia, it’s a winning choice for patients of all ages, especially those who may feel anxious in the chair. The RONDOflex also produces minimal noise and vibration, which can help ease patients’ nerves.

Furthermore, Dr. Sargent finds the unit's portable, snap-on design, which she describes as "elegant," along with the KaVo MULTIflex handpiece coupler she uses with her MASTERtorque highspeeds, to be instrumental in simplifying every procedure.

“The quick-connect attachment to the handpiece line keeps the RONDOflex at the ready on my bracket table for all procedures,” Dr. Sargent reported. “It has 2 tips with a 360-degree swivel, so I can use it in any location with ease. Additionally, the water spray helps to contain flyaway powder and cleans the tooth surface during treatment.”

In all, Dr. Sargent had nothing but praise for KaVo’s air-abrasion unit. “Kudos to KaVo—the RONDOflex Plus 360 is a great design and completely invaluable to my goal of practicing dentistry at the highest level possible.”