The nature of root surfaces after curette, cavitron and alpha‐sonic instrumentation

Root planing instrumentation was accomplished on extracted teeth using the hand curette, the Cavitron Ultrasonic, and the Alpha‐Sonic instruments. Histologic methods were used to determine the composition of the surfaces following instrumentation. The surface roughness after instrumentation was evaluated with a profilometer and a scanning electron microscope. Hand curettes produced the surfaces with the lowest roughness values and the least apparent irregularities in the SEM photographs. In this study none of the instrumentation methods consistently removed all of the cementum.