Evaluation of dentin abrasion during professional tooth cleaning in an in vitro model

Objectives: Professional tooth cleaning (PTC) may lead to loss of exposed dentin. The aim of the present study was to determine the absolute loss of dentin during PTC using various product combinations with an in vitro model. Material and Methods: Dentin specimens (72) were randomly assigned to nine groups. In four groups each, prophy brushes and prophy cups were used in combination with four different abrasives (calcium pyrophosphate, pumice, Hawe cleanic, Nupro coarse). In the ninth group, a rubber cup with embedded fluoride and abrasives was used (pasteless prophy cup). The treatment time was 37 s. Surface loss was determined by profilometry. Results: The surface loss in the nine groups was as following: (1) brush/calcium pyrophosphate: 6.18 mu m (a); (2) brush/pumice: 5.51 mu m; (3) brush/Nupro coarse: 10.10 mu m (b); (4) brush/Hawe cleanic: 1.88 (a, b); (5) prophy cup/calcium pyrophosphate 2.07 (c); ( 6) prophy cup/pumice: 6.07 mu m; (7) prophy cup/Nupro coarse: 5.93 mu m (c); (8) prophy cup/Hawe cleanic: 4.93 mu m (c); (9) pasteless prophy cup: 11.86 mu m (c). Groups with the same letter in parentheses are statistically significant different at p < 0.05. In a pooled analysis, no statistically significant difference between brushes and prophy cups was found. Conclusion: In the present study, the surface loss of about eight PTC procedures was simulated. Hence, the dentin loss ranged between 0.24 and 1.48 mu m per PTC. Therefore, PTC does not seem to be a main factor in dentin loss.