Influence of scaler tip design on root surface roughness, tooth substance loss and patients’ pain perception: an in vitro and a randomised clinical trial

Table 3 Tooth substance loss at upper and lower reference point before and after scaling using PS or conventional scaler tips among teeth with initial thickness ≥ 1000 µm

Reference point	Scaler tip	Mean µm (SD)		Mean difference	p value	p value
Reference point	Scaler tip	Before	After	Mean difference	p value	p value
UR	PS (n = 14)	1280.1 (190)	1265.8 (189)	14.3 (10)	0.0001^*	0.058
UR	C (n = 15)	1267.9 (121)	1223.7 (113)	44.2 (51)	0.005^*
LR	PS (n = 14)	1131.0 (25)	1113.0 (254)	17.3 (11)	0.001^*	0.16
LR	C (n = 15)	1218.0 (200)	1177.0 (191)	41.3 (49)	0.006^*

Intragroup comparison analysed with paired t test. Intragroup comparison for LR (PS) analysed with Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Intergroup comparison for UR and LR was analysed with Mann–Whitney test
UR upper reference point, LR lower reference point, C conventional, PS Perio Slim
^*Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05).

ISSN: 1472-6831