Subjective intensity of pain during supportive periodontal treatment using a sonic scaler or an Er:YAG laser.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the subjective intensities of pain during supportive periodontal treatment using a sonic scaler or an Er:YAG laser.


METHODS
Forty patients with two residual periodontal pockets following conventional periodontal therapy were treated using a sonic scaler and an Er:YAG laser in a split-mouth design. A visual analogue scale was used for pain assessment directly after each treatment procedure. Additionally, pain was recorded during the treatment of 11 patients at intervals of 0.5 s using an inter-modal intensity comparison.


RESULTS
Pain assessment during treatment showed that laser treatment (median pain score: 0.71 U, maximum: 9.94 U, minimum: 0 U) caused less pain than the sonic device (median pain score: 2.17 U, maximum: 11.26 U, minimum: 0 U) (p<0.05) with no difference in the treatment time (p>0.05). These results could be confirmed by the visual analogue scale: pain scores assessed after laser treatment (median: 1 U, maximum: 7 U, minimum: 0 U) were lower than those after sonic instrumentation (median: 3.5 U, maximum: 7.5 U, minimum: 0 U) (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Using an Er:YAG laser during supportive periodontal treatment, painful sensations can be reduced compared with sonic scaler instrumentation.
Braun
Andreas
A
Department of Periodontology, Operative and Preventive Dentistry, University Dental Clinic Bonn, Bonn, Germany. andreas.braun@uni-bonn.de
Jepsen
Søren
S
Deimling
Daniela
D
Ratka-Krüger
Petra
P
D000328:Adult; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation