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Blood Contamination of the Aerosols Produced by In Vivo Use of Ultrasonic Sealers
Author(s) -
Barnes James B.,
Harrel Steven K.,
RiveraHidalgo Francisco
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.1998.69.4.434
Subject(s) - ultrasonic sensor , dentistry , gingival sulcus , contamination , gingival and periodontal pocket , periodontal disease , medicine , dental instruments , materials science , biomedical engineering , biology , radiology , ecology
D isease transmission and barrier techniques during dental treatment have been areas of recent concern in dentistry. Ultrasonic sealers are known to produce aerosols, and these aerosols are often produced from areas of significant disease activity, including bleeding. This study was performed to determine if these aerosols contain blood from the gingival sulcus. Forty areas consisting of two contiguous periodontally involved teeth (probing depth of at least 5 mm on one site of each tooth) were scaled subgingivally with an ultrasonic sealer for 30 seconds. A high volume evacuator (HVE) tip was positioned 3 to 5 cm away from the operating site and utilized to capture the aerosols produced. The water remaining in and on the HVE tube was tested for occult blood by the guiac resin method. Gingival index, mean probing depth, presence of bleeding with scaling, and presence of visible blood in the HVE tip were recorded. All 40 test sites showed a positive result for blood in the captured aerosols despite the wide variation in the measured parameters. It may be concluded that subgingival scaling on periodontally involved teeth with ultrasonic sealers would be expected to produce aerosols containing blood. J Periodontol 1998;69:434–438 .