Diamond-Coated Manual Curettes Improve Simulated Root Deposit Removal: An In Vitro Comparative Pilot Study

Background: The effectiveness of non-surgical periodontal therapy largely depends on the ability of instruments to efficiently remove plaque and calculus from root surfaces. In recent years, innovative instruments such as LM Sharp Diamond™ curettes have been introduced, featuring a coated blade that maintains sharpness without the need for resharpening. The aim of this pilot in vitro study was to compare the cleaning efficacy of LM Sharp Diamond curettes with that of conventional stainless-steel curettes, hypothesizing that the diamond-coated instruments would demonstrate superior deposit removal efficiency. Materials and Methods: Extracted teeth were selected, fixed on a support, and the root surfaces were coated with black varnish to simulate plaque and calculus deposits. Standardized photographs were taken at baseline (T0). The coated root surfaces were then instrumented using LM Sharp Diamond™ curettes (test group) or traditional Gracey curettes (control group). After treatment (T1), the images were analyzed with Image Color Summarizer software 0.82 to calculate the percentage of cleaned surface. The results were subjected to statistical analysis performed by a professional statistician. Results: The results, obtained from the treatment of nine surfaces, demonstrated that LM Sharp Diamond™ curettes achieved greater and more consistent removal efficiency, with a mean reduction of 1.27 percentage points in residual coated area (RCA) deposits compared to traditional curettes (p = 4.45 × 10−6). Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests that LM Sharp Diamond™ curettes may ensure more effective residue removal than traditional steel curettes. Statistically, it has been shown that LM Sharp Diamond™ curettes provide a cleaner and more uniform surface than traditional steel curettes.