The Importance of Probes in Assessing Periodontal Health
The periodontal probe appears straightforward, but it is also a highly complex instrument. The International Organization for Standardization defines a periodontal probe as a “dental…
Category: Instrumentation
Navigating the Complexities of Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy
Periodontal patients pose a unique challenge to the dental team. Tooth loss, increased mobility, and attachment loss complicate ways to maintain and rehabilitate a patient’s…
Instrument Design for Optimal Hand Health
The practice of dental hygiene is well known for its occupational hazards leading to high prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Research has revealed 60%…
Removing Burnished Calculus
By Kathleen O. Hodges, RDH, MS Removal of burnished calculus is challenging yet extremely important to create root surfaces that are biologically compatible with the…
Anatomy of Instrument Design and Selection
By Ivan Pinto, RDHAP, BSDH, MB and Michaela Nguyen, RDH, BSDH, MS While the use of ultrasonic scalers in periodontal therapy has grown in popularity,…
Improve the Ergonomics of Your Instrumentation
By Martha J. McComas, RDH, MS Dental hygienists must maintain prolonged static postures, often in awkward positions, and make repetitive small motor movements of the…
Clinical Decision Points as Guidelines for Periodontal Therapy
By Stephen K. Harrel, DDS; Michael P. Rethman, DDS, MS; Charles M. Cobb, DDS, MS, PhD; Lee N. Sheldon, DMD; and John S. Sottosanti, DDS…
The Role of the Dental Hygienist in External Root Resorption
By Donna Smith, BSDH, MSEd, RDHAP Detection and assessment are important aspects of dental hygiene therapy. The preliminary examination can point the therapist toward the…
Maintain the Sharp Cutting Edge of Periodontal Instruments
By Khrystyna Vyprynyuk, RDH, BS, MHS; and Annie Chitlall, RDH, BS, MHS During the COVID-19 pandemic, dental hygienists have relied on hand instrumentation more than…