Table 2.
Medians and max values compared to background.
| Procedure | <1 μm particle concentration, particles/cm3 |
1–5 μm particle concentration, particles/cm3 |
>5 μm particle concentration, particles/cm3 |
Total particle concentration, particles/cm3 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median (IQR) | |||||
| Air turbine handpiece (N = 8) | Background | 1.24 (1.18–2.20) | 0.09 (0.04–0.11) | 0 (0–0.007) | 1.37 (1.25–2.24) |
| Median | 3.29 (1.83–4.27) | 0.10 (0.06–0.27) | 0.003 (0–0.006) | 3.40 (1.94–4.50) | |
| Maximum | 3.66 (2.20–5.50) | 0.10 (0.06–0.24) | 0.006 (0–0.03) | 3.77 (2.28–5.76) | |
| P-value* | 0.013 | NS | NS | 0.021 | |
| P-value** | 0.016 | NS | NS (p = 0.065) | 0.012 | |
| Low-speed dental handpiece (N = 30) | Background | 2.63 (1.18–10.89) | 0.07 (0.03–0.12) | 0 (0–0.002) | 2.74 (1.22–11.02) |
| Median | 2.59 (1.23–10.68) | 0.06 (0.04–0.09) | 0 (0–0) | 2.71 (1.25–10.8) | |
| Maximum | 2.87 (1.45–12.68) | 0.07 (0.05–0.12) | 0.006 (0–0.006) | 3.00 (1.53–12.75) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | 0.023 | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | 0.013 | NS | |
| High-speed dental handpiece (N = 6) | Background | 1.32 (0.82–1.52) | 0.05 (0.01–0.07) | 0 (0–0.002) | 1.37 (0.84–1.57) |
| Median | 1.40 (1.16–3.24) | 0.05 (0.01–0.17) | 0 (0–0.02) | 1.47 (1.17–3.41) | |
| Maximum | 1.81 (1.32–4.22) | 0.06 (0.04–0.24) | 0.003 (0–0.03) | 1.90 (1.35–4.44) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| P-value** | NS (p = 0.055) | NS | NS | NS (p = 0.055) | |
| Ultrasonic scaler (N = 31) | Background | 3.32 (1.19–7.56) | 0.03 (0.02–0.14) | 0 (0–0) | 3.37 (1.28–7.56) |
| Median | 3.32 (1.20–7.56) | 0.03 (0.01–0.11) | 0 (0–0) | 3.39 (1.22–7.56) | |
| Maximum | 3.65 (1.42–7.79) | 0.05 (0.03–0.13) | 0 (0–0.006) | 3.75 (1.43–7.80) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | 0.015 | NS | |
| Periodontal treatment, manual (N = 60) | Background | 2.21 (1.24–4.88) | 0.05 (0.02–0.09) | 0 (0–0.005) | 2.33 (1.30–5.10) |
| Median | 2.07 (1.14–4.06) | 0.03 (0.01–0.05) | 0 (0–0) | 2.11 (1.14–4.15) | |
| Maximum | 2.54 (1.43–4.92) | 0.05 (0.03–0.11) | 0.006 (0–0.006) | 2.69 (1.47–5.08) | |
| P-value* | NS | 0.018 | <0.001 | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | <0.001 | NS | |
| Local and topical anesthesia (N = 31) | Background | 2.43 (1.74–6.79) | 0.05 (0.02–0.10) | 0 (0–0.006) | 2.63 (1.78–7.03) |
| Median | 2.45 (1.66–6.86) | 0.06 (0.02–0.08) | 0 (0–0.006) | 2.52 (1.73–6.79) | |
| Maximum | 2.50 (1.76–7.31) | 0.05 (0.03–0.09) | 0.006 (0–0.01) | 2.62 (1.79–7.38) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | 0.019 | NS | |
| Oral examination (N = 52) | Background | 3.58 (1.35–9.38) | 0.07 (0.04–0.10) | 0 (0–0.006) | 3.61 (1.41–9.51) |
| Median | 3.18 (1.21–9.49) | 0.05 (0.03–0.07) | 0 (0–0) | 3.44 (1.37–9.74) | |
| Maximum | 4.11 (1.52–9.87) | 0.08 (0.04–0.14) | 0.006 (0–0.01) | 4.22 (1.62–9.93) | |
| P-value* | NS | 0.046 | <0.001 | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | 0.001 | NS | |
| Intraoral X-ray (N = 24) | Background | 10.47 (6.49–14.82) | 0.05 (0.03–0.07) | 0 (0–0) | 10.46 (6.56–14.91) |
| Median | 9.89 (3.42–12.83) | 0.05 (0.03–0.07) | 0 (0–0) | 10.02 (5.96–13.16) | |
| Maximum | 10.41 (6.25–14.36) | 0.06 (0.04–0.1) | 0 (0–0.01) | 10.47 (6.40–14.48) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| Root canal treatment (N = 12) | Background | 15.65 (10.19–20.68) | 0.06 (0.04–0.08) | 0 (0–0) | 15.74 (10.27–20.60) |
| Median | 13.19 (7.30–20.51) | 0.07 (0.03–0.11) | 0 (0–0) | 13.44 (7.42–20.82) | |
| Maximum | 17.54 (11.82–23.14) | 0.13 (0.06–0.45) | 0.003 (0–0.02) | 17.81 (11.94–23.36) | |
| P-value* | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
| P-value** | NS | 0.04 | 0.019 | NS | |
P-value* for median compared to background.
P-value** for maximum compared to background.
Statistical significance tested with non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. NS refers to non-significant.
Maximum values are presented as medians of maximum values.