Removal of hard tooth structure by ROOTSHAPE root planing files used with a modified EVA contra-angle.

The results of numerous recent investigations indicate that root contamination with bacteria and endotoxins is limited to the root surface only. Therefore, methods on root surfaces instrumentation that preserve root substance should be focused on. Newly available instruments or treatment systems should be evaluated for their root substance-removing potential. The devices for root planing presented here comprised specific files (Rootshape) (with diamond-coating on their convex working surfaces used in conjunction with a water-spray-cooled contra-angle head transforming rotational movements into translatory oscillations. The substance-removal potential of rigid and flexible files with diamond coatings of 2-4, 15, 25 and 40 microns compared with that of regular hand curettes, was evaluated under various working forces. The results demonstrated, that depending on the grit size of the diamond coating, the Rootshape files removed less and in no instance greater amounts of root surface substance than did hand instruments.