The Effect of Bristle Brush, Rubber Cup, and Air Polishing on Tooth Surface Roughness of Scaled Teeth

January 6, 2026 updated by: Khyber Medical University Peshawar

The Effect of Bristle Brush, Rubber Cup, and Air Polishing on Tooth Surface Roughness of Scaled Teeth: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study Using Scanning Electron Microscope: Randomized Controlled Trial

This study investigates the effects of three polishing methods using a bristle brush, rubber cup, and air polishing on the surface roughness of scaled human teeth. The study aims to determine which polishing method is most effective in minimizing roughness and preventing plaque accumulation, thus contributing to improved oral health practices.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Tooth surface roughness influences plaque retention and periodontal health. Polishing after scaling helps smoothen enamel surfaces, reducing bacterial adhesion. While various studies have assessed polishing techniques, there are inconsistencies in findings, particularly regarding air polishing vs. rubber cup polishing. Additionally, most studies focus on bovine teeth or indirect restorative materials rather than extracted human teeth. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, 56 extracted teeth will be divided into four groups: a control group (no polishing) and three experimental groups subjected to different polishing techniques. Surface roughness will be analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This study aims to fill these research gaps and provide region-specific data by determining which polishing method is most effective in minimizing roughness and preventing plaque accumulation, thus contributing to improved oral health practices.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
56

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Adam Khan, BDS
  • Phone Number: +92 321 1155369

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
      • Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 25000
        • Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Extracted human teeth with intact buccal or lingual surfaces.
  • Patients with a history of trauma affecting the oral cavity will be eligible, provided they meet other criteria (e.g., intact buccal or lingual surfaces).
  • Male and female patients aged 18 years and above.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Teeth with restorations, caries, fractures, or significant developmental defects (e.g., amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta , fluorosis etc).
  • Patients with systemic disease such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders or any other condition will be excluded.
  • Mentally impaired patient.
  • Patients who have undergone scaling and polishing within the last 3 months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Bristle Brush Polishing Group
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using a bristle brush attached to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece with prophylaxis paste in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Procedure: Bristle Brush Polishing
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using a bristle brush attached to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece with prophylaxis paste in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Experimental: Rubber Cup Polishing Group
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using a rubber cup attached to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece with prophylaxis paste in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Procedure: Rubber Cup Polishing
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using a rubber cup attached to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece with prophylaxis paste in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Experimental: Air Polishing Group
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using sodium bicarbonate air polishing with an air polishing device in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Procedure: Air Polishing
After ultrasonic scaling, teeth will be polished using sodium bicarbonate air polishing with an air polishing device in a circular motion for 10 seconds.
Active Comparator: Control Group
Teeth in this group will undergo ultrasonic scaling only, with no additional polishing procedures.
Procedure: Ultrasonic Scaling
Teeth in the control group will undergo ultrasonic scaling only, with no additional polishing procedures.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Tooth Surface Roughness
Time Frame: Immediately after intervention (post-polishing SEM analysis).
The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) and root mean square roughness (Rq) of the enamel surface will be measured using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and ImageJ software. This will assess the effectiveness of different polishing techniques in reducing surface roughness after ultrasonic scaling.
Immediately after intervention (post-polishing SEM analysis).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Khyber Medical University Peshawar

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD) Peshawar

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Adam Khan, BDS, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar
  • Principal Investigator: Syed Muaz Masoom Shah, BDS,MDS,PHD, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar
  • Principal Investigator: Mehwish Rasool, BDS, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar
  • Principal Investigator: Syed Muhammad Shabbir Ali Naqvi, PhD*, Khyber Medical University Peshawar

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 28, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 26, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 26, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 4, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • KMU/DIR/CTU/2024/014

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The study will share de-identified individual participant data (IPD), including surface roughness measurements obtained from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis, as well as statistical findings related to different polishing techniques. The shared dataset will help researchers conduct secondary analyses and compare results with similar studies.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

The data will be made available 6 months after the study's completion and will remain accessible for a period of 5 years to facilitate further research.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Access to the data will be granted to qualified researchers upon submission of a formal request that includes a research proposal outlining the intended use of the data. Requests will be reviewed by the study investigators and ethical review committee to ensure compliance with data privacy regulations.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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