The Use of Ozone in Dentistry
Fadi Sabbah, D.D.S., M.I.D., M.I.O.A.
The word “Ozone” is now being mentioned more and more in the dental literature and is described as a breaking new technology in dentistry. Dr Fisch (1899-1966), a Swiss dentist, was the first to ever use ozone in dentistry.
This is to say that ozone use in dentistry is not a recent technology which, unfortunately, remained unknown in the medical dental field for decades mainly due to little knowledge on the biological effects of ozone and to the lack of sufficient research and clinical studies in this field.
Recent research and clinical studies in ozone use in medicine, mainly the work of Pr. Velio Bocci, have encouraged researchers to re-assess its use in dentistry.
Even though ozone was used in general medicine for decades during the 20th century, it was the work of Pr Velio Bocci (Italy) and Dr Renate Viehban (Germany) that looked at the biochemistry and biological effects of ozone that initiated an increased interest in its use both in medicine and dentistry.
Ozone (O3), an allotrope of oxygen, is the second strongest oxidant found in nature, next to fluorine. Its oxidizing potential (2.07) is by far superior to Hydrogen Peroxide (1.77), Chlorine Dioxide (1.57), Chlorine gas (1.36), Hypochlorite (0.94), Iodine (0.54).
Due to its oxidizing power, ozone is widely used in city water plants as water purifier, in food processing, pharmaceuticals, air treatment, agriculture, as well as in many other industrial fields.
