Clinical effects of root instrumentation using conventional steel or non-tooth substance removing plastic curettes during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT)

Although root instrumentation has been accepted as the most important cause-related treatment of periodontal diseases, repeated scaling and root planing may over time result in substantive loss of tooth substance and increased sensitivity of the teeth. In an effort to minimize these side effects of therapy, non-root substance removing curettes have been developed. However, the clinical effects of such plastic curettes with regard to the control of the periodontal infection has not yet been established. The aims of this study were, therefore, to compare the effects of root instrumentation using plastic curettes (Universal Perio Soft Scaler(R), Hawe-Neos Dental, Bioggio, TI, Switzerland) versus conventional steel curettes on the periodontal conditions during supportive periodontal therapy. 40 subjects participated in this parallel, randomized, double blind, prospective longitudinal clinical study following active peridontal therapy. 20 subjects served as a control group and were treated with conventional steel curettes during a supportive periodontal care visit (SPT). The other 20 subjects, the experimental group, were treated using plastic curettes during a similar SPT visit. Clinical parameters, such as bleeding on probing (BOP) and probing pocket depth (PPD), were assessed at baseline and 3-6 months later at the next regular SPT visit. In addition, the BOP percentage was determined 10 days following baseline. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 treatment modalities regarding BOP and PPD at any observation time. Both treatments were effective in reducing the BOP percentage which ranged from 17-42% at baseline by about 40% after 10 days (mean BOP baseline: 26%, mean BOP after 10 days: 16%). This clinical study suggests that non-root substance removing curettes may be valuable instruments for periodontally treated patients during maintenance care, thus minimizing trauma on the hard structures of the teeth.