Sonochemical characterisation of ultrasonic dental descalers.
An ultrasonic dental descaling instrument has been characterised using sonochemical techniques. Mapping the emission from luminol solution revealed the distribution of cavitation produced in water around the tips. Hydroxyl radical production rates arising from water sonolysis were measured using terephthalate dosimetry and found to be in the range of μmolmin(-1), comparable with those from a sonochemical horn. Removal of an ink coating from a glass slide showed that cleaning occurred primarily where the tip contacted the surface but was also observed in regions where cavitation occurred even when the tip did not contact the surface. Differences in behaviour were noted between different tip designs and computer simulation of the acoustic pressure distributions using COMSOL showed the reasons behind the different behaviour of the tip designs.
Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. Electronic address: g.j.price@bath.ac.uk.
Gareth J
GJ
Price
Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
T Joyce
TJ
Tiong
Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
David C
DC
King
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003762:Dental Instruments; D004867:Equipment Design; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000737:chemistry; D008165:Luminol / Q000737:chemistry; D009038:Motion; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D013499:Surface Properties; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D010795:Phthalic Acids; D014867:Water; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008165:Luminol; C011363:terephthalic acid
Cavitation; Cleaning; Dental instruments; Sonochemiluminescence