PHYSICAL FORMS OF LAA

LAAs can be formulated in several physical forms…..liquid, powder, gel, suspension and a spaghetti like powder mixed with a low molecular weight copolymer (fancy name for thin plastic). The LAA must be in a physical form that is clinician and patient friendly.

The clinician wants a physical form that allows maximum control to allow placement into anatomically difficult subgingival areas (deep pockets, furcations, concavities, convexities etc.). Liquids, powders, gels and powder mixed with plastic are not clinician friendly. By far, the most clinician friendly physical form is suspension. Tetracycline powders are extremely difficult to drive into suspension so most manufacturers choose not to use this physical form. To further complicate matters, the suspension must be at a specific viscosity thin enough to travel through the microtubular dispensing tip but thick enough not to run down the patient’s throat.

The patient desires a physical form that is not painful, not bad tasting or cause gagging.  In the case of unmodified LAA active ingredient, the taste is so unpleasant/bitter/acidic that it can result in gagging and possible laryngospasm (should it reach the larynx).

P3 uses a proprietary process to formulate P3 products in a suspension with a viscosity that is extremely clinician friendly and a taste that is very pleasant to the patient.