A comparative evaluation of the efficacy of manual, magnetostrictive and piezoelectric ultrasonic instruments: an in vitro profilometric and SEM study

OBJECTIVES: The debridement of diseased root surface is usually performed by mechanical scaling and root planing using manual and power driven instruments. Many new designs in ultrasonic powered scaling tips have been developed. However, their effectiveness as compared to manual curettes has always been debatable. Thus, the objective of this in vitro study was to comparatively evaluate the efficacy of manual, magnetostrictive and piezoelectric ultrasonic instrumentation on periodontally involved extracted teeth using profilometer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 periodontally involved extracted human teeth were divided into 3 groups. The teeth were instrumented with hand and ultrasonic instruments resembling clinical application. In Group A all teeth were scaled with a new universal hand curette (Hu Friedy Gracey After Five Vision curette; Hu Friedy, Chicago, USA). In Group B Cavitron(TM) FSI - SLI(TM) ultrasonic device with focused spray slimline inserts (Dentsply International Inc., York, PA, USA) were used. In Group C teeth were scaled with an EMS piezoelectric ultrasonic device with prototype modified PS inserts. The surfaces were analyzed by a Precision profilometer to measure the surface roughness (Ra value in µm) consecutively before and after the instrumentation. The samples were examined under SEM at magnifications ranging from 17x to 300x and 600x. RESULTS: The mean Ra values (µm) before and after instrumentation in all the three groups A, B and C were tabulated. After statistically analyzing the data, no significant difference was observed in the three experimental groups. Though there was a decrease in the percentage reduction of Ra values consecutively from group A to C. CONCLUSION: Within the limits of the present study, given that the manual, magnetostrictive and piezoelectric ultrasonic instruments produce the same surface roughness, it can be concluded that their efficacy for creating a biologically compatible surface of periodontally diseased teeth is similar

Influence of prophylaxis paste treatment on the abrasive wear of surface sealants

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the abrasive wear of surface sealants (Seal&Protect and K-0184 (experimental sealant)) and the influence of pre-treatment with mineral deposit forming prophylaxis pastes (NUPRO Sensodyne and NUPRO) on this wear. METHODS: One hundred and eight bovine dentine samples were randomly allocated to nine groups (1-9). Pre-treatment (10 s): groups 1-3: untreated, groups 4-6: NUPRO, groups 7-9: NUPRO Sensodyne. Sealing: groups 1, 4 and 7: unsealed, groups 2, 5 and 8: Seal&Protect, groups 3, 6 and 9: K-0184 (experimental sealer). Samples were then brushed with 12 000 brushing strokes (BS) with toothpaste slurry in an automatic brushing machine (120 BS/min; F = 2.5 N). Surface profiles were recorded at baseline, after pre-treatment and sealing and after each 2000 BS. RESULTS: Total profile change (wear or gain due to pre-treatment, treatment and 12 000 BS): groups 1, 4 and 7 (no surface sealant) showed a not significantly different wear of 18.48 ± 2.63 µm, 24.98 ± 3.02 µm and 21.50 ± 5.47 µm, respectively. Remaining groups (sealed) showed a gain in height with no significant difference among each other. Wear in sealed groups (2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9) were not significantly different at all numbers of brushing strokes. Starting with 4000 BS, the wear in unsealed groups (1, 4 and 7) was statistically significantly higher compared to all other groups. CONCLUSION: Stability and wear resistance of surface sealants are not affected by pre-treatment of dentine with NUPRO Sensodyne. The surface sealants tested provide a stable protective surface layer on dentine, which lasts for at least 12 000 brushing strokes

Hand and ultrasonic instrumentation in the treatment of chronic periodontitis after supragingival plaque control Instrumentação manual e ultra-sônica no tratamento da periodontite crônica após controle de placa supragengival

This study compared the clinical effects of hand or ultrasonic scaling and root planing on the treatment of chronic periodontitis. After supragingival plaque control, twenty patients were examined by a blinded and calibrated examiner for probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Experimental teeth were allocated to the following subgingival treatment groups according to PPD: 1) hand instrumentation; 2) hand instrumentation with irrigation; 3) ultrasonic instrumentation; 4) ultrasonic followed by hand instrumentation. Time used in the procedures was recorded. Follow-up examinations were performed at 30 and 90 days after treatment. Each patient's individual BOP, PPD and CAL means were analyzed with repeated-measures ANOVA. Differences in the instrumentation time were analyzed with 1-way ANOVA. Significance level was established at 5%. All treatments produced significant changes in the clinical parameters. BOP reduced, in proximal surfaces, from 67.21-79.17% at baseline to 45.75-51.54% at 90 days. Significant reductions were also found for PPD and CAL in all groups, both in proximal and free surfaces. Reductions in mean PPD at 90 days ranged from 0.92 to 1.14 mm for the free surfaces and from 1.01 to 1.35 mm for proximal surfaces, whereas reductions in CAL ranged from 0.43 to 0.82 mm and from 0.60 to 0.73 mm for free and proximal surfaces, respectively. Mean instrumentation time ranged from 4.77 to 5.30 minutes. No statistically significant differences were found among the four study groups. It can be concluded that the four methods of subgingival instrumentation were equally efficacious in the improvement of the studied clinical parameters.<br>Este estudo comparou, clinicamente, o efeito de raspagem e alisamento radicular por instrumentações manual e ultra-sônica no tratamento da periodontite crônica, após o controle de placa supragengival em 20 pacientes. Os parâmetros clínicos profundidade de sondagem (PS), nível de inserção clínica (NIC) e sangramento à sondagem (SS) foram avaliados por um examinador calibrado e cego. Os dentes experimentais foram alocados para uma das seguintes abordagens subgengivais, de acordo com a profundidade de sondagem: 1) manual, 2) manual associada à irrigação, 3) ultra-sônica, 4) ultra-sônica previamente à manual. O tempo usado nos procedimentos foi registrado. Avaliações foram feitas 30 e 90 dias após os tratamentos. Médias individuais de SS, PS e NIC foram analisadas pelo teste ANOVA de medidas repetidas (p < 0,05). Diferenças no tempo de instrumentação foram analisadas por meio do teste ANOVA para um critério de classificação (p < 0,05). Os resultados revelaram que os tratamentos produziram alterações significativas nos parâmetros clínicos sem diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os quatro grupos. Observaram-se reduções no SS, que, nas faces proximais, variou de 67,21 a 79,17%, no início, para 45,75 a 51,54% no final. Também foram observadas reduções significativas na PS e no NIC em todos os grupos, tanto para faces livres quanto proximais: as médias da PS aos 90 dias reduziram entre 0,92 e 1,14 mm nas faces livres e entre 1,01 e 1,35 mm nas proximais, enquanto para NIC as reduções foram de 0,43 a 0,82 mm e 0,60 a 0,73 mm, para as faces livres e proximais respectivamente. A média do tempo operatório variou de 4,77 a 5,30 minutos. Pôde-se concluir que as quatro modalidades terapêuticas de instrumentação subgengival foram igualmente eficazes na melhora dos parâmetros clínicos estudados