The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro effects of the loss of tooth substance and root surface changes following root planing with various periodontal instruments.

The 39 extracted human teeth due to severe periodontal disease were included. The total 50 root surfaces of 30 teeth were root planed with following instruments : Group 1, with Gracey curette, Group 2, with ultrasonic scaler, Group 3, with rotating root planing bur, Group 4, with Gracey curette plus rubber cup polishing, and Group 5, with ultrasonic scaler plus rubber cup polishing. Following root planing, the amount of tooth substance loss was evaluated by measuring the weight of the removed tooth substance and then 5 specimens (5×5×2mm) were randomly selected from the each group for roughness measurement. Root planed areas of each specimen were subjected to five measurements using the Profilometer and an average surface roughness values(Ra) for each group was obtained. Statistical difference for roughness values of each group was analyzed using oneway ANOVA and student t-test.

For scanning electron microscopic(SEM) examination of root surface changes following root planing, 15 root surfaces of remaining 9 teeth were root planed and 3 specimens were randomly selected.

The mean loss of tooth substance removed was Group 1, 7.0±1.09mg, Group 2, 1.3±1.00mg, Group 3, 5.8±1.72mg, Group 4, 8.7±1.34mg, and Group 5, 4.5±1.68mg following root palning, respectively. These results indicate that curette is effective instrument in the respect of diseased root substance removal.

The average surface roughness values are following results : Group 1 and Group 4 were the smoothest surface (Ra=0.34±0.06µm, Ra=0.34±0.04µm, respectively) and Group 2 was the roughest surface (Ra=2.09±0.06µm). Statistical analysis of roughness values demonstrated a highly significant difference (P<0.05) between each experimental groups. However, no statistically significant difference in roughness values were observed between the Group 1 and Group 4.

The results in this study suggest that curette and/or polishing procedure should be done after root planing with ultrasonic scaler and caution should be used with diamond-coated bur during routine root planing procedure.