Many of the recognized brand names have survived the test of time, offering the benefit of reducing hand and wrist fatigue as well as tissue trauma. Common in today’s hygiene and periodontal armamentarium is the sonic or ultrasonic handpiece. Whether used only occasionally or on a routine basis, most dental professionals are familiar with sonic or ultrasonic technology in some capacity. With the utility of the products that are available today, there is no reason why every operatory should not be equipped with this technology.
The use of ultrasonic devices has dramatically improved the practice of supragingival scaling and periodontal debridement. Although ultrasonic technology has been around for decades, improvements in recent years have allowed its use to become mainstream. Ultrasonic technology in general, whether magnetostrictive (long inserts with metal rods that flex) or piezo-electric (small tips that screw onto the dental handpiece), and sonic scalers to a lesser degree, offer several advantages over hand scaling:
(1) less hand and wrist fatigue due to the light touch necessary to merely guide the scaler tip along the tooth surface.
(2) decreased treatment time, especially with heavy deposits, leaving more time for patient education or procedures such as placement of chemotherapeutic agents (ie, Arestin [OraPharma], Atridox [Collagenex Pharmaceuticals], or PerioChip [Dexcel Pharma]).
(3) more efficient removal of dental plaque and calculi with ultrasonic instrumentation.
(4) water provides continuous tissue lavage, thereby reducing the need for rinsing during scaling, since the water flow allows for high visibility throughout the procedure; this lavage also increases tissue comfort for the patient during and after the procedure.
(5) antiseptic solution can be substituted for the water to provide simultaneous irrigation/disinfection of the region being treated.
(6) gritty, pumice-based polish may no longer be necessary or indicated following scaling with ultrasonic; due to the efficient stain removal during scaling, a milder, minimally invasive paste or polish can be used, preserving the glaze on composite and porcelain restorations; less abrasive polish enhances patient acceptance and lowers post-scaling sensitivity.
Hygienists in our office rave about our new piezo-electric scalers and, more importantly, patients are very complimentary about how their mouths feel after their maintenance visits. If you have the desire to move into the world of electric scalers, or are ready to upgrade, give considerable thought to the purchase of a piezo-electric scaler. This technology will stand the test of time. It is the ultimate in ultrasonic scalers.