Supragingival root surface removal during maintenance procedures utilizing an air-powder abrasive system or hand scaling. An in vitro study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of root surface removal in vitro using an air-powder abrasive system or sharp curet on root surfaces simulating the cumulative effects of an every 3-month periodontal maintenance regimen over a 3-year period and to compare the amount of time spent in the utilization of each instrument. Fifty extracted teeth with fully formed roots were cleaned and mounted in one of 10 different artificial alveolar arches. Each arch contained one central incisor, one lateral incisor, one canine, one first and one second premolar. The buccal and mesial tooth root diameters were measured initially and after each treatment with a digital point micrometer. All teeth were stained with coffee and repositioned in their artificial alveolae and treated by the air-powder abrasive system or curet until all visible stain was removed. Time required for removal of stain in both treatment groups was recorded. Both groups were restained, retreated, and retimed 12 times to reproduce a 3-month maintenance interval for 3 years. The average root structure removed by the air-powder abrasive system following each treatment was 10.68 micron while the curet removed an average of 27.09 micron. Stain was removed 3.15 times faster by the air-powder abrasive system than with a curet.