Evaluation of alterations that may occur on root surface after root planing procedure by scanning elektron microscope

The aim of the root planning procedure in non surgical periodontal treatment is the elimination of etiologic factors that cause periodontal disease and removal of the cement affected from the disease. Root planing procedure provides a biologically acceptable, smooth, hard, clean root surface. There are lots of studies related with the changes on the root surface caused by periodontal instruments used for root planing procedure. Our aim is to make a contribution for related studies by observing alterations that may occur on root surface after root planing procedure by using ultrasonic scaler, gracey curette and double gracey curettes like root surface roughness, loss of cement tissue and exposure of dentin tubules examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The other aim of our study is to compare periodontal instruments that we used, in terms of life cycle. In our study, 26 single rooted human teeth diagnosed wih extraction due to advanced chronic periodontitis (ACP) and having the appropriate criterias were used. Among 26 single rooted human teeth, randomly selected 2 teeth constituted the control group and the rest 24 teeth constituted the study group. The type of periodontal instrument that would be used for study groups was determined by using heads or tails method. Root planing procedure was performed by using ultrasonic scaler, gracey curettes and double gracey curettes. Root surfaces were prepared under effective water cooling with special separator diamond burs and the obtained images were recorded in scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM images were evaluated by two researchers unaware of each other. There was no significant difference statistically between roughness and material loss created by ultrasonic scaler and gracey curettes on root surfaces and no exposed dentine tubules was observed. For double gracey curettes it was observed that they cause more roughness and material loss on root surface and exposed dentine tubules were observed in some samples. Furthermore, it was shown that there is no difference between instrumentation duration of ultrasonic scalers and gracey currettes but double gracey curettes have shorter instrumentation duration.