Kazuyuki Kobayashi, DMD, PhD, Yasushi Yamazaki, DMD, PhD, Toshiko Ozawa, DMD, PhD, Mami Tsuchida, DMD, PhD, and Takashi Arai, DDS, PhD
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, Tsurumi University, School of Dental Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
Purpose: Direct, real-time visualization of subgingival area may improve the efficiency of subgingival treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the fiberscope (FS) for subgingival periodontal treatment.
Materials and Methods: The original jaw model in which the artificial teeth were uniformly coated with nail enamel was attached to a simulator head. The experimental teeth were painted on the root surfaces of #12, #13 and #14, and in the furcation of #46. Three types of the FS (3,000 pixels, φ1.0 mm) with working or irrigation channel were used. The operators were eight dentists (four experienced and four beginning clinicians for using a FS). The experimental teeth were performed scaling and root planing (SRP) with and without FS. Furthermore, the experimental part which are difficult to adapt periodontal instruments were irradiated with Nd:YAG laser (100 mJ, 15 pps) using the FS, only by the experienced clinicians. Then each root surface was observed to analyze the residual nail enamel.
Results: The residual rate in FS group was significantly lower than that in non-FS group on the labial root surface of #12 and in the furcation of #46 (p<0.05). Also, it was possible to remove nail enamel by Nd:YAG laser irradiation using the FS.
Conclusion: The results suggest that the application of FS for subgingival periodontal treatment leads to better outcome in comparison with conventional periodontal treatment without FS.(Asian Pac J Dent 2011; 11: 35-43.)
Key Words: fiberscope, Nd:YAG laser, root planing, scaling, subgingival periodontal treatment