Assessing significance of sharpening brand-new scaler

In order to achieve good clinical results in periodontal treatment, the use of a sharp curette is essential. Many clinicians use curettes immediately after purchase since they assume that brand new curettes have been sharpened. In this study, we aimed to objectively and quantitatively evaluate the sharpness of brand new curette-type scalers, using an experimental apparatus for the detection of the bite force (grab force). As a result of the evaluation of grab force in 120 blades of brand-new curettes, those after sharpening showed an average 12.2% increase in grab force when compared to those without sharpening. Although the grab force of 35 blades showed a decrease (7.3%), 85 blades showed a significant increase (21.7%). These results suggest the importance of sharpening a brand-new scaler before use.