title: [Evaluation of the use of ultrasonic hand piece and micro-invasive tips in children's dental caries therapy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect and efficacy of an ultrasonic hand piece and micro-invasive tips in removal of carious lesion, as well as the pediatric patients' feedback of this device in comparison to the conventional one.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two pediatric patients aged 3 to 12 were recruited in the study. Each patient had at least two carious lesions bilaterally in the same arch, one tooth was assigned to be treated with ultrasonic hand piece and micro -invasive tips (MIT) while the contra lateral side was treated with conventional hand piece. The effect and efficacy of MIT was determined by the appearance of the color and texture of the teeth, the patient's reaction during the treatment, and the pain scale level. Postoperative sensitivity, restoration and plaque score were also recorded in the follow-up visit after six months. The result was evaluated with SPSS 14.0 statistic software Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test and t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average treatment time of the experimental group was 4 minutes; and that of the control group 3 minutes and 34 seconds (P<0.05), which was a clinically significant difference. Both methods were effective in removing carious lesion. In comparison to the patient anxiety and cooperation, the scores of the experimental group were fewer than those of the control group, which was also a clinically significant difference. In the experimental group, 89.2% of the patients felt comfortable or slightly uncomfortable, while 73.1% of the patients did in the control group. In the 6-month follow-up study, 1 treated tooth from the experimental group had sensitivity, while 4 treated teeth from the control group had sensitivity. And 88.2% of the pediatric patients expressed that they were more willing to be treated with ultrasonic hand piece and micro-invasive tips.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonic hand piece and micro-invasive tips is equally effective in removing carious lesion like the conventional hand piece. SONICFlex has reduced noise level, and made the operation more precise with less pulp sensitivity, and thus is more acceptable to pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Shuang-yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D003762:Dental Instruments; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*