The utility of the electric mallet

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery

Background:

• Tooth extraction is a common dental procedure.
• Maintaining the integrity of the alveolar bone and surrounding soft tissues is crucial for post-extraction healing and potential future restorations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of an electrical mallet for tooth extraction.
• To assess the integrity of fresh socket walls after extraction using this device.

Main Methods:

• A total of 427 hopeless teeth were extracted from 156 patients (96 males, 60 females; mean age 53.2 years) between July 2009 and February 2012.
• Extractions were performed using an electrical mallet with a longitudinal, repetitive up-and-down movement along the central axis to engage the periodontal ligament space.
• Intraoral digital radiography was used before and immediately after extraction to evaluate the lamina dura.

Main Results:

• No fracture or loss of the cortical bone plate was observed in the fresh tooth sockets.
• All alveoli demonstrated complete soft tissue secondary healing within 2 weeks post-extraction.
• No signs of inflamed tissue or exposed bone were noted during the healing period.

Conclusions:

• The electrical mallet is an effective tool for atraumatic tooth extraction.
• This method maximizes the preservation of alveolar housing and associated gingival structures.
• The technique facilitates optimal healing outcomes following tooth extraction.