title: Root treatment in vivo with a new rotary periodontal instrument: a profilometer study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare, in vivo, in 30 teeth destined for extraction, the abilities of the Scalex rotary bur system and Gracey curettes to obtain a smooth root surface. The time taken for each treatment was also evaluated. The profilometry results showed no significant differences between instruments with regard to roughness or working time, in single-rooted teeth, multirooted teeth, or in pockets of 5 mm or more. Only for distal longitudinal roughness and in pockets less than 5 mm did the Scalex system perform slightly better. There was some improvement in working time when the distal surfaces were instrumented with Scalex. Both systems demonstrated a similar capacity to render smooth surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Dental Laboratory, T. P. Sanitary School of Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Keogh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanz Alonso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arias de Luxán
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Navarrete López
mesh_terms: D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000473:pathology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D016745:Root Planing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods