Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
05:30
Roughness Impact of Piezoelectric Dental Scaler on Two Distinct Flowable Composite Filling Materials
Published on: January 10, 2025
Ultrasonic scaler oscillations and tooth-surface defects.
1School of Dentistry, The University of Birmingham, St Chad's Queensway, Birmingham, United Kingdom. s.lea@bham.ac.uk
Journal of Dental Research
|March 31, 2009
Summary
Ultrasonic scalers, both piezoelectric and magnetostrictive, cause similar tooth root surface damage. Defect dimensions depend on load and power, not the scaler type, despite differences in probe movement.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Biomaterials Science
- Dental Instrumentation
Background:
- Ultrasonic scalers are used for dental cleaning.
- Both piezoelectric and magnetostrictive ultrasonic scalers can damage tooth root surfaces.
- The specific mechanisms and extent of damage from each type are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the tooth surface damage caused by piezoelectric versus magnetostrictive ultrasonic scaler probes.
- To investigate the relationship between scaler type, operational parameters, and resulting surface defect dimensions.
Main Methods:
- Polished dentin samples were subjected to instrumentation using both piezoelectric and magnetostrictive ultrasonic scaler probes under controlled loads (100 g/200 g).
- A laser metrology system was used to evaluate the dimensions (depth/volume) of the resulting tooth surface defects.
- Factors such as load, generator power, and probe cross-section were analyzed for their influence on defect characteristics.
Main Results:
- Ultrasonic instrumentation created indentations directly related to probe impact and movement.
- Load, generator power, and probe cross-section significantly influenced probe vibration and defect depth/volume.
- Tooth surface defect dimensions were found to be independent of the ultrasonic generator type (piezoelectric vs. magnetostrictive).
- Magnetostrictive probes exhibited greater displacement amplitudes but resulted in comparable defects to piezoelectric probes, potentially due to probe cross-sectional shape.
Conclusions:
- The type of ultrasonic scaler generator (piezoelectric or magnetostrictive) does not significantly affect the dimensions of tooth surface defects.
- Surface defect characteristics are primarily influenced by applied load, generator power, and probe geometry, rather than the oscillation mechanism.
- Further investigation into probe cross-sectional shape may elucidate differences in vibration amplitude versus defect formation.
