A study comparing two different handpieces for dental plaque removal with an air polishing device

The study is designed as a crossover study so that all enrolled patients will undergo the test intervention prior to crossing over to undergo the control intervention. Prior to receving the test intervention, all participants of the study receive a whole mouth clean for plaque and calculus removal in prior visits of the study. Participants are required to refrain from oral hygiene practices from their six anterior maxillary teeth for at least sixty hours in order to cultivate a biofilm (plaque) on these teeth which were disclosed prior to using the test intervention to remove this disclosed biofilm (plaque). The test intervention is the usage of air polishing devices in conjunction with a novel handpiece (EMS Airflow® MAX handpiece) for dental prophylaxis in healthy patients or for the treatment of gingivitis or peridontitis. This test intervention is a novel handpiece that has been released by the manufacturer of this air polishing device system (EMS) and has been reported by the manufacturer to be more efficient, produce less aerosols and be more comfortable than the conventional handpiece (control intervention) that was previously on the market. The intervention will be delivered in person by a qualified dentist who is undertaking specialty training to become a periodontist at the Sydney Dental Hospital. Only the six front upper teeth will receive the test intervention on the outer (labial) surfaces. The test intervention will be administered on one occasion only and is typically used for minutes at a time. The washout period for the study is four weeks.