A myriad of new products have been introduced that have revolutionized periodontal therapy in the past several years. Many of the recognized brand names have survived the test of time, offering the benefit of reducing hand and wrist fatigue as well as tissue trauma. Common in today’s hygiene and periodontal armamentarium is the sonic or ultrasonic handpiece. Whether used only occasionally or on a routine basis, most dental professionals are familiar with sonic or ultrasonic technology in some capacity. With the utility of the products that are available today, there is no reason why every operatory should not be equipped with this technology.

The use of ultrasonic devices has dramatically improved the practice of supragingival scaling and periodontal debridement. Although ultrasonic technology has been around for decades, improvements in recent years have allowed its use to become mainstream. Ultrasonic technology in general, whether magnetostrictive (long inserts with metal rods that flex) or piezo-electric (small tips that screw onto the handpiece), and sonic scalers to a lesser degree, offer several advantages over hand scaling.

The sonic scaler operates at a low frequency of about 3,000 to 8,000 cycles/second (which is how many times the tip comes in contact with the tooth). The sonic scaler is air-driven, and the tip moves in an elliptical motion. The ultrasonic handpiece utilizes either magnetostrictive or piezo-electric technology. Magnetostrictive inserts operate at 25,000 to 30,000 cycles/second and, like the sonic scaler, have an elliptical motion. A low-voltage magnetic signal causes tip movement. Piezo-electric technology operates at 28,000 to 36,000 cycles/second. The tip moves in a back-and-forth motion and works along the side of the tooth, shaving off calculus and debris.