title: Technical assessment of WHO-621 periodontal probe made in Brazil.
abstract: This study technically assessed the WHO-621 periodontal probe made in Brazil as well as its dimensional and weight stability after sterilization. The following characteristics were measured in one hundred (100) new probes: diameter and linear area of tip sphere and beginning and ending references of its colored band by means of indirect computerized morphometric method, and weight, by means of a digital balance within 0.01 mm precision. Fifty (50) probes underwent one hundred (100) cycles of either steam or heat sterilization. The WHO-621 Trinity probe showed mean values of 0.66 mm in its longitudinal and 0.54 mm in its transversal sphere diameters; 0.40 mm2 in its sphere linear area; 3.56 mm and 5.76 mm for the beginning and ending of the colored band, respectively. Its mean weight was 10.12 g with small variation. Some of the measurements showed significant changes after both sterilization procedures. Neither of the sterilization methods showed to be more advantageous (Student's t-test, p = 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnosis and Therapeutics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil. giselarapp@e-net.com.br
authors.forename: Gisela Estela
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: Aryon de Almeida
authors.initials: Ade A
authors.lastname: Barbosa Júnior
authors.forename: Ary José Dias
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Fragoso
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Mariana Ayres de Almeida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bião
authors.forename: Ricardo Vieira
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003762:Dental Instruments; D006801:Humans; D010517:Periodontics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013242:Sterilization; D014944:World Health Organization