Laminar Air Purge of Microorganisms in Dental Aerosols: Prophylactic Procedures with the Ultrasonic Scaler.

Studies of 50 patients undergoing prophylaxis in a dental operatory equipped with laminar airflow showed that from more than 40,400 viable particles containing one or more microbes collected from dental aerosols, about 40,267 were recovered when laminar air was not in use. Airborne contamination reductions of 99.7% were effected in the dental office when a vertical downflow of laminar, high efficiency particulate filtered air was present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]