Enhanced periodontal debridement with the use of micro ultrasonic, periodontal endoscopy

Current literature supports the use of powered instrumentation over traditional hand instrumentation. The objective of scaling and root planing is the complete removal of plaque and calculus from root surfaces. While this is unrealistic, the accepted end-point is a smooth, glassy root surface during periodontal instrumentation. This often has resulted in overinstrumentation and excessive removal of cementum. Cementum removal has been deemed generally unnecessary. What is essential is the removal of plaque, calculus, and the endotoxin adherent to the root surface. This cleaning of root surfaces is best done with judicious use of powered instrumentation. The excessive removal of cementum during hand instrumentation is due to the lack of visualization. Using endoscopic technology, the ability to visually debride roots can improve chances of success in a more conservative and minimally invasive way. This article provides a brief review of micro ultrasonic technologies and periodontal endoscopy, its implementation in our practice, and a limited case series.