Sonochemical Analysis of the Output of Ultrasonic Dental Scalers

This research project is aimed at understanding how and where cavitation occurs around ultrasonic scalers and how this occurrence may be maximised to provide a unique clinical advantage to their use. The performance of the ultrasonic scaler tips will take place on in vitro models combined with measurements using the Scanning Laser Vibrometry at the University of Birmingham. The measurement of the occurrence of cavitation around the scalers will take place at the University of Bath. This will be a two-centre project, which will combine the skills from both organisations. This work is new and exciting and is a research theme unique to the collaborative work of our two research groups. From previous work we are now able to characterise the occurrence of the cavitation in air and this project will link this with the movement of the scaling tips. This has only been done in the unloaded situation and in an open environment (i.e. a solution in a cuvette). How such activity will change when the ultrasonic scaler is in a contact situation and when it is in a confined space is unknown and is one of the challenges to be met with this project. Information gained from the research will be disseminated via a website and linked to other existing EPSRC networks. This work is of interest to manufacturers with the potential spin off for new commercial applications of such techniques in the clinical setting.