Analysis of Manual Sharpening Method Towards the Cutting Edge Index of Sickle Scaler Instrument

Abstract

Introduction: Cutting edge sharpness of the periodontal sickle scaler instrument will become blunt after
several times of usage; thus the sharpening will be required to maintain the instrument’s sharpness of the
instrument. Based on the method used, manual sharpening using a whetstone can be divided into a moving
instrument technique and moving stone technique. The purpose of this study was to analyze the cutting edge
index of a sickle scaler instrument after being sharpened with two different techniques using an electron
microscope / SEM. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two new sickle scaler instruments of type H15 / 33
(Oshung Inc.) were randomly selected and divided into four groups. The scaler instrument originated from
the factory was becoming a positive control (Group I); the instrument that has been blunted was becoming a
negative control (Group II). The other groups were the blunt sickle scaler that sharpened using the moving
stone technique (Group III) and the moving instrument technique (Group IV). The cutting edge index of
all instruments was then analyzed using SEM (JSM 6360LA, JEOL Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). The cutting edge
index data from the photomicrograph was then processed using the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney
statistical tests. Result: The results showed a significant difference in the sharpness level between the manual
sharpening groups; this can be seen from the p-value = 0,000 (p-value < 0.05). The average cutting edge
index value showed the best results in the moving instrument sharpening technique (2.10), followed by the
moving stone sharpening technique (3.10). Conclusion: A periodic sharpening of sickle scaler instruments
using a moving instrument technique provides a finer and sharper cutting edge level than the moving stone
technique.