What is Guided Biofilm Therapy?
Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) is the current state of the art way of cleaning your teeth in the most comfortable way possible.
Consistent feedback from our patients is that GBT is more pleasant compared to traditional scaling and polishing as one might be familiar with.
Are You Sure Your Teeth Are Clean?
Plaque and biofilm are not always easily visible. The set of teeth below from Figure 1a looks clean at first glance, but would you have guessed there would be plaque as shown by the purple stains (Figure 1b)?
Calculus deposits shown in Figure 2 were removed at the same visit where Figure 1 was captured. These buildups cause gum inflammation and bleeding. If left untreated over time, this can lead to bone loss and periodontal disease (gum disease).
More cases below that highlight your teeth may not be as clean as they seem…
Guided Biofilm Therapy vs Scaling and Polishing
| Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) | Scaling and Polishing (SAP) |
|---|---|
|
No change in the enamel surface |
Possible change in the enamel surface |
|
Airflow uses 14µm erythritol-based powder. There is no direct contact with teeth and does not cause scratches to tooth surface. |
Rubber cups and polishing paste may potentially alter the tooth surface which may in turn promote biofilm re-adhesion |
|
Ideal for cleaning of implant surfaces - does not cause scratches |
Stainless steel scaler tips can cause scratches to the implant body |
|
Difficult to reach areas are cleaned more effectively |
Areas not accessible by polishing cup/brush can only be cleaned using the scaler tip |
Guided Biofilm Therapy
- Comprehensive and gentle clean
CHAS subsidises up to 2 cleanings per calendar year. View the CHAS subsidy table HERE
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional scaling and polishing, as its name suggests, scales then polish, whereas GBT first uses Airflow to remove biofilm, stains and early calculus before using the ultrasonic scaler to remove leftover calculus.
The plaque disclosing agent helps to easily visualise areas where biofilm and plaque are present.
Benefits:
- Easily visualise areas that you missed cleaning and should pay attention to in your daily oral hygiene routine.
- Allows easy identification of biofilm and plaque locations for more effective removal.
Some patients will taste a mild sweet or bitter taste during the treatment.
The sweet taste comes from the erythritol powder used during Airflow.
The bitter taste is due to the presence of 0.3% Chlorhexidine in the erythritol powder. Chlorhexidine is an antibacterial agent.
Because GBT is more thorough in cleaning and gentler to your tooth surface.
With the use of Airflow, there is less need for the ultrasonic scaler which reduces the amount of high-pitched unpleasant noise. This is especially helpful for children and adults who are afraid of the noise generated during dental procedures.
