[Practical application of diamond points in mucosalplasty of edentulous ridges]

In order to establish a new operative method of mucosalplasty in the edentulous ridges to improve pontic adaptation, newly revised diamond points were produced and tested. The efficiency of these diamond points were tested on the edentulous ridges of dogs in relation to its shape, size of the diamond particle, and appropriate rotational speed, and the tissue damages and healing processes were observed under a light microscope and SEM. The results were as follows: 1. Light microscopic observations showed immediate post operative necrosis of the wound surface, and degeneration below the necrosed layer of high rotational speed diamond points. 2. Tissue damage became larger as the size of the diamond particle increased, but there appeared to be no influence upon the healing process of the wound. 3. Tissue damage also became larger as the diameter of the diamond point increased, but again no influence upon the healing process was observed. 4. Middle to low rotational speeds showed no differences in tissue damage or wound healing, but high rotation caused larger tissue damage and prolongation in the healing process. 5. The most suitable condition for mucosalplasty revealed the size of the diamond particle to be 200 microns, and rotational speed to be between 12,000-20,000 rpm.