[Clinical evaluation of manual and ultrasonic subgingival scaling using image analysis]

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of hand and ultrasonic instrumentation in removing subgingival plaque and calculus.In experiment one,forty-eight teeth from patients were randomly assigned to be scaled with curettes or ultrasonic scaler.Probing depth,clinical attachment level and bleeding index were reexamined 2 months latter.The results demonstrated that no significant differences between the two mehtods.In experiment two,seventeen teeth from six patient were also randomly scaled manualty ultrasonic or uninstrumented as a control.All these teeth were extracted immediately after subgingival scaling.The proportion of tooth surfaces covered by residual plaque and calculus(relative to the total surface area of the side of the tooth)was analysed on each tooth using computerized graphic processing.The findings showed the proportional areas of residual plaque and calculus in teeth.But the hand scaled root surface were much smoother than those treated with ultrasonic scaler.