Dental Ultrasonics Research

The School houses an international research team that has a 20 years + track record in the research of ultrasonics as it is applied to the dental situation.  Our work has had major impact on clinical use of these instruments and has strongly influenced industry in this area.  This has led to continuing improvements in patient care.  A strong factor in our success is our interdisciplinary approach to research in this area.

The Team

• Professor Damien Walmsley
• Professor Gabriel Landini
• Dr Simon Lea

We have a strong publication record and an established international reputation in the area of low frequency ultrasonics applied to the field of dentistry. Particular expertise is in;

• pioneering unique research in the use of scanning and 3D-laser vibrometry to measure the motion of ultrasonic scalers, dental turbines and powered toothbrushes
• developing sophisticated in vitro models which allow multi-directional, real-time dynamic instrument / tooth load evaluation
• dosimetric techniques to evaluate the occurrence of cavitation around dental ultrasonic devices
• laser and white light profilometry methods for evaluating damage to tooth surfaces
• MicroCT technology for investigating the internal structures of teeth 

This example from our work shows a laser beam scattered from a scaler tip during vibration analysis. This produces vibration data that may be animated or superimposed over scaler images.

Our work has also included

• thermal imaging to assess the heat generated during ultrasonic scaler instrumentation.
• investigating the occurrence of cavitational activity around dental sonic and ultrasonic scalers
• the use of 3D scanning laser vibrometer to produce ground breaking images of dental turbines.

Thermal image of a piezoelectric ultrasonic scaler, contacted against a tooth with a known load, following 15 seconds of instrumentation.