Clinically controlled study on the effect of
Ultrasound effect in the
periodontal maintenance therapy
Executive Summary
Witten 2012
ORMED Institute for Oral Medicine at the University of Witten/Herdecke
Study director: Prof. Dr. Dr. hc P. Gängler
Dr. Tomas Lang
Investigator: Alexander May on behalf of: EMAG AG, 64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf
Periodontal inflammation, sometimes accompanied by bleeding gums, but mainly by bone loss around the teeth and subsequent loosening of the teeth, is becoming increasingly widespread. In addition to bacterial triggering and the organism's significant defense against infections with genetic and immunological factors, oral hygiene with toothbrushes and fluoride-containing toothpastes in the form of tablets or pastes plays an important role in maintenance therapy after tooth pocket treatment. This periodontal inflammation, known as periodontitis ("periodontosis"), is a lifelong disease like tooth caries, and therefore requires lifelong dental check-ups and oral hygiene follow-up care at home. A particularly gentle but highly effective tooth brushing technique is therefore important in order to ensure low-abrasion tooth polishing or abrasion-free plaque control over years and decades.
In 2011, it was demonstrated that an ultrasonic-activated toothbrush, Emmi ® -dent Professional, ensures good plaque removal and the prevention of gingivitis without any risk of abrasion (S. Denda et al.; J. Dent. Res. 91 (2012) Spec. Issue B, 2209).
It was therefore the aim of a further study to determine the effectiveness of ultrasonic toothbrush To test Emmi ® -dent Professional as part of periodontal maintenance therapy over 3 months. For this purpose, after a corresponding positive ethics vote, a randomized clinically controlled parallel study was carried out in 2 groups comparing the ultrasonic brush (16 subjects) with the manual toothbrush Denttabs (17 subjects). All subjects with moderate periodontitis and shallow gum pockets were assigned to the respective group after completing conservative periodontitis therapy, underwent a 4-day training program and refrained from oral hygiene for 3 days in order to brush their teeth under supervision on the first day of the study. Dental plaque was checked using the plaque index according to Lang et al. (2011), and the condition of the gums was recorded using the gingiva index.
The sulcus and pocket depths in millimeters were assessed at 6 points on all teeth at the initial examination and after 3 months. The subjects' cooperation at home was supported by control examinations after 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Depending on the distribution pattern of the data, the statistical methods t-test, U-test, Wilcoxon test or χÇ test were used. The ultrasound group showed a statistically significant reduction in the mean pocket depth of the gums between 0.6 and 1.2 mm compared to the manual toothbrush group with 0.5-0.9 mm. As a result, 50% of the shallow pockets disappeared in the ultrasound group compared to 39% in the control group. The plaque reduction after training and supervision was statistically significantly greater than without instructions, but remained stable over 3 months of home use, with an advantage for the ultrasonic brush in the lower jaw. The reduction in gingival inflammation is also significant in both groups compared to the baseline findings, with gum bleeding disappearing more frequently with ultrasound application.
It is concluded that the outcome of conservative periodontal treatment with pocket curettage of the affected teeth can be significantly improved by using the ultrasonic toothbrush twice daily for 3 minutes each time over a period of 3 months.
Clinical Conclusion
The direct transmission of ultrasound in the oral cavity provides a new biophysical dimension of effective tooth cleaning with control of bacterial biofilm formation, which fundamentally avoids brushing movements with mechanical abrasion. The tested, exclusively ultrasound-activated toothbrush removes dental plaque just as safely as a manual toothbrush, the previous gold standard. It leads to a significant reduction in gingivitis and completely prevents abrasive brushing movements. This means that the risk of abrasion damage to teeth and gums can be eliminated.
Consistent ultrasonic oral hygiene leads to a significantly greater reduction in gum pockets compared to manual toothbrushes. The Emmi ® -dent Professional ultrasonic brush therefore provides long-term support for periodontal maintenance therapy.
The original PDF can be found here The scientific study can be found here
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