I have a patient that has an implanted device in their head for “deep brain stimulation” (DBS). The patient is being treated for Parkinson’s. Is use of cavitron ever allowed for these patients? My concern is that a cavitron is magnetostrictive, and I don’t want it to interfere with the device. I found a study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29962421 that states there have been no previous interactions between DBS systems and dental instruments, but I am still hesitant. We are requesting clearance from the physician as well. Is there any definitive info on these devices and the use of cavitron? This patient needs periodontal therapy and it would be very difficult to handscale only. Thank you!
I have found conflicting views on whether an ultrasonic scaler (magnetostrictive) should be used on patients with a DBS device. The research you referenced says there’s been no previous interactions, yet other resources, such as CE from dentalcare.com and the College of Dental Hygienists Ontario state to only hand scale.
http://www.cdho.org/Advisories/CDHO_Factsheet_Deep_Brain_Stimulation.pdf
https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/professional-education/ce-courses/ce567
Requesting clearance from the patient’s physician is a great idea. You can also refer to the manufacturer’s instructions of the patient’s DBS device as well. The only solution I can think of is to use a piezo. This is a fantastic question, but unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a clear answer. I’m sorry!
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Thank you so much!
FlossBoss123