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…
Category: Instrumentation
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…
Extend Your Reach During Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy
By Kathleen O. Hodges, RDH, MS Extended shank instruments are indicated for deep periodontal pocket depths greater than 5 mm as measured with a periodontal…
Remembering Your Roots
By Donna Smith, BSDH, MSEd, RDHAP Scaling and root planing poses many challenges to even the most talented clinicians. One significant stumbling block is the…
Strategies to Address Periodontally Involved Furcations
By Andrew Brodsky, DMD, MSD, Paul A. Fugazzotto, DDS, PC Addressing a periodontally involved furcation presents unique challenges, including the difficulty, if not impossibility, of achieving…