The motor, the angle, the cup and brush, the science of abrasives, and the armor — Domain II in one pass.
Low-speed handpiece + prophy angle (usually disposable) + rubber cup (all smooth surfaces) or bristle brush (occlusal pits and grooves ONLY — never near gingiva). Speed is governed by the rheostat — feather it; a whining handpiece means too fast. High-speed handpieces have no role in polishing.
DrynessSafe polishing = all five LOW: finest effective grit, light intermittent pressure, low speed, moist paste, brief contact. And always: the least abrasive agent that removes the stain.
Prophy paste (coarse/medium/fine — most contain fluoride, which offsets what polishing removes but is not a fluoride treatment). Flour of pumice — mild abrasive for enamel stain. Chalk (whiting) — fine polish. Tin oxide — final shine on metal restorations.
Polishing makes spatter + aerosols → gloves (donned last), surgical mask, eyewear with side shields, gown; the patient wears safety glasses + bib. Tray: handpiece + angle, paste grades, disposable tips, ejector/HVE, air-water tip, floss, gauze. Disposables are single-use — discard; reusable metal angles get cleaned, lubricated, heat-sterilized.
Review the full lessons any time, or head back to your dashboard.
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