title: Interference between dental electrical devices and pacemakers or defibrillators: results from a prospective clinical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors aimed to determine whether electrical dental devices would interfere with the function of cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors exposed asymptomatic nonpacemaker-dependent patients to commonly used electrical dental equipment (for example, battery-operated curing lights, ultrasonic baths, ultrasonic scalers, electric pulp testers, and electric toothbrushes) in an outpatient cardiology clinic. The authors operated dental devices at various distances and programmed cardiac devices to sense and pace. The authors obtained cardiac tracings using a cardiac programming unit and a cardiac provider who noted any interference interpreted the results in real time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors enrolled 32 consecutive patients and tested 12 pacemakers and 20 ICDs. They did not observe any significant clinical interference in sensing and pacing functions in any patient; however, they noted minor interference without clinical impact in the telemetry from the cardiac programming unit during use of the ultrasonic scaler and bath.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this prospective study suggest that electrical devices commonly used in dental practices do not interfere with the sensing and pacing of contemporary cardiac patients' pacemakers or ICDs. However, they do interfere with the telemetry from the cardiac programming unit, without any clinical impact on patient safety. These findings should help in the development of clinical guidelines regarding dental management of patients with pacemakers or ICDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electrical dental devices (for example, ultrasonic baths, ultrasonic scalers) induced minor interference with programmers that interrogate cardiac devices implanted in patients; however, overall, dental devices do not appear to interfere with pacemakers' and defibrillators' pacing and sensing function.
authors: Claude S
authors: CS
authors: Elayi
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Lusher
authors: Jillian L
authors: JL
authors: Meeks Nyquist
authors: Yousef
authors: Y
authors: Darrat
authors: Gustavo X
authors: GX
authors: Morales
authors: Craig S
authors: CS
authors: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects; D003748:Dental Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Dental equipment; artificial; defibrillators; electromagnetic fields; equipment safety; humans; implantable; pacemaker; telemetry