# Assessment of Knowledge and Awareness of Ultrasonic Bone Surgery Among Periodontology and Oral Surgery Postgraduate Students in Maharashtra

## TL;DR

This study assesses how well dental postgraduate students in India understand ultrasonic bone surgery, finding that periodontology students have higher awareness than oral surgery students.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the educational gaps in ultrasonic bone surgery knowledge among dental postgraduate students in Maharashtra.

## Key findings

- Most students (95.3% in periodontology and 94.7% in oral surgery) were aware of ultrasonic bone surgery.
- Periodontology students showed significantly higher awareness of critical bone damage temperature and postoperative complications.
- Periodontology students had higher overall knowledge (87.5%) compared to oral surgery students (78.3%).

## Abstract

Introduction

Ultrasonic bone surgery, or piezosurgery, is a novel technique utilizing ultrasonic vibrations to cut bone while minimizing damage to adjacent soft tissues. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of ultrasonic bone surgery among periodontology and oral surgery postgraduate students in Maharashtra, India.

Methods

A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 180 postgraduate students (84 in periodontology and 96 in oral surgery). A Google Form questionnaire (Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, United States) with 15 close-ended questions was distributed via email. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 25 (IBM Corp. Released 2017. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) employing frequency percentages and Pearson Chi-square tests for intergroup comparisons.

Results

Of the participants, 80 (95.3%) of periodontology and 91 (94.7%) of oral surgery postgraduates were aware of ultrasonic bone surgery. Significant differences were found in the knowledge of critical bone damage temperature (p=0.009) and postoperative complications (p=0.037), with periodontology postgraduates showing higher awareness. Both groups recognized ultrasonic bone surgery's precision, safety, and reduced trauma advantages. Overall knowledge and awareness were higher among periodontology postgraduates (n=84, 87.5%) than oral surgery postgraduates (n=96, 78.3%).

Conclusion

Both groups demonstrated a good understanding of ultrasonic bone surgery, with periodontology postgraduates showing notably higher awareness. These findings underscore the importance of integrating ultrasonic bone surgical techniques into dental education to enhance patient care and keep pace with technological advancements. Further studies with larger sample sizes across India are recommended.