Substance loss caused by scaling with different sonic scaler inserts--an in vitro study.
OBJECTIVE
Depending on the phase of periodontal treatment, power-driven inserts with different power levels are necessary: during initial treatment and flap operations, it must be possible to remove calculus which firmly adheres to the root surface with great efficiency; in contrast, gentle root-surface instrumentation has a high priority during maintenance treatment. Recently, modified sonic scaler inserts have been introduced: diamond-coated inserts for open flap operations and slim probe-shaped sonic scaler inserts for deplaqueing during maintenance.


METHODS
We compared the substance removal by these inserts to that of a conventional insert. In a bench system which allows application force, stroke height, and width and frequency of instrumentation to be monitored and also permits assessment of the topography before and after instrumentation (yielding depth removal and removed volume), we instrumented aluminum rods in triplicate and bovine roots in a 5-fold repetition.


RESULTS
With high application forces (1.0 N), the diamond-coated inserts removed 30 to 50% more substance than the conventional one. Except for the slim inserts, there was a significant linear relationship between increasing force and removed volume. Probe-shaped inserts do not remove considerable substance even with increasing pressures.


CONCLUSIONS
Diamond-coated inserts remove tooth substance very effectively and must thus be handled with care: more pressure effects more removal. Probe-shaped inserts can be used without risk during maintenance visits.
Kocher
T
T
Abteilung Parodontologie in der Poliklinik für Zahnerhaltung, Parodontologie und Kinderzahnheilkunde im Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde, Greifswald, Germany. kocher@rz.uni-greifswald.de
Fanghänel
J
J
Sawaf
H
H
Litz
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000601:surgery; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000601:surgery; D003754:Dental High-Speed Equipment; D003762:Dental Instruments; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018130:Diamond; D004526:Efficiency; D004867:Equipment Design; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013010:Sonication / Q000295:instrumentation; D013499:Surface Properties; D014092:Tooth Root
D018130:Diamond