title: A systematic review on the patient perception of periodontal treatment using air polishing devices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Air polishing devices are used as an alternative to traditional instrumentation of the root surface. The objective of the systematic review was to analyse patient perception, that is pain and discomfort during treatment with air polishing devices in periodontal therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were screened for studies published through 18th November 2013. Patient perception served as primary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1266 abstracts screened, nine studies reporting data on patient perception using a visual analogue scale or a patient interview were included in the analysis. Different air polishing powders consisting of sodium bicarbonate, glycine or erythritol were used. Reported discomfort of non-surgical periodontal therapy was consistently equal or lower when air polishing powders consisting of glycine or erythritol were applied compared with root surface instrumentation using hand instruments or ultrasonic devices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Air polishing with powders consisting of glycine seems to be associated with less discomfort during non-surgical periodontal therapy, that is supra- and subgingival air polishing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weiger
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.|Department of Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D003775:Dental Polishing / Q000379:methods*; D005998:Glycine; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010517:Periodontics / Q000379:methods*; D011208:Powders; D014092:Tooth Root
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D005998:Glycine
keywords: air polishing; erythritol; glycine; non-surgical treatment; patient perception; sodium bicarbonate