Periodontal curette

The periodontal curette is a type of hand-activated instrument used in dentistry and dental hygiene for the purpose of scaling and root planing.^[1] The periodontal curette is considered a treatment instrument and is classified into two main categories: universal curettes and Gracey curettes.^[1] Periodontal curettes have one face, one or two cutting edges and a rounded back and rounded toe.^[1] They are typically the instrument of choice for subgingival calculus removal.^[1]

Universal and Gracey curettes are typically used during nonsurgical periodontal therapy of a patient's dental hygiene care.^[2] The goal of nonsurgical periodontal therapy is to eliminate inflammation and return the patient's periodontium back to health.^[3] One of the ways this can be achieved is by minimizing the bacterial challenge to the patient.^[2] To control the bacterial levels in the mouth, oral health education is provided to the patient to control calculus and plaque buildup.^[2] An important component of removal and management of bacterial levels in the mouth is the use of hand instruments, such as Gracey curettes and universal curettes, that remove calculus deposits contaminating the tooth surface supragingivally and subgingivally.^[2] This is vital to nonsurgical periodontal therapy because scaling and root planing reduces bacterial biofilms in the mouth that are associated with inflammation.^[2] A research study suggests that periodontal root debridement is a key factor that influences the success of gaining periodontal attachment on previously infected root surfaces.^[4]