Ultrasonic vs. hand instrumentation in periodontal therapy: clinical outcomes

Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease in adults. Traditional nonsurgical periodontal therapy involves subgingival removal of hard and soft deposits on the root surface, along with maintenance of good oral hygiene. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy can either be definitive or part of the initial phase before surgical therapy. Mechanical therapy, either with hand or ultrasonic instrumentation, is the keystone of nonsurgical periodontal therapy. This requires considerable amounts of time and a high level of operator skill. The use of appropriate instruments greatly increases clinical efficiency. This article discusses the use of ultrasonic and hand instrumentation, along with recent advances, and the benefits of adjunctive therapy during nonsurgical periodontal therapy.