Do ultrasonic dental scalers interfere with implantable cardioverter defibrillators? An in vivo investigation

OBJECTIVES: To test the in vivo effects of an ultrasonic dental scaler on various implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) models. METHODS: 12 consecutive patients with ICDs had continuous both electrocardiogram monitoring and device interrogation to detect interferences during the use of an ultrasonic dental scaler. RESULTS: No interferences were detected by any ICD. Evaluation of the electrocardiograms for each patient failed to show any abnormalities in pacing during testing. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the routinary clinic use of piezoelectric dental scalers do not interfere with the functioning of any of the tested ICDs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Ultrasonic dental scalers have been suspected of electromagnetic interference (EMI) with the normal functioning of ICDs and the use of this type of equipment for patients with these devices has been controversial. This is the first in vivo study to investigate EMI of ICD activity during the operation with ultrasonic dental scaler.