DENTISTRY INSTRUMENTS

 Dental examination instruments.

To explore the mouth it is necessary:

 Dental mirrors : with this the dentist

separates the cheeks to observe the inside of
the oral cavity.

Dental probe : the pits, grooves and fissures of

the tooth surfaces are explored to locate
cavities.

 Periodontal probe : to establish the status of the

periodontium. Millimetric instruments with marks
every two mm. Which are used to measure the
loss of tooth attachment.

 Suction cannula : to avoid the accumulation of saliva in

the mouth (disposable)

 X-ray plate holder forceps : for taking x-rays.

 Instruments for anesthesia.

To administer an oral anesthetic it is necessary:

 Special syringe to attach circles (metal and

plastic)

 Suction device : a tab that is stuck into a rubber

plug on the circle.

 Needles : long, short and extra short.

 Oral surgery instruments.

When an intraoral surgical technique is going to be performed, the assistant, in

addition to preparing an anesthesia syringe, must prepare a tray that contains all
the surgical material that will be needed:

 Farabeuf Retractor : to remove the cheek, lip or

mucoperiosteal flap. Visualization of the surgical
field is allowed.

 Scalpel with a No. 15 blade , (11, 12): to make

the incision of the soft tissues.
 Periostome: instrument for sectioning and detaching the
periosteum, obtaining the mucoperiosteal flap.

 Surgical dental burs : attach to the handpiece. They

are used to act on hard tissues (osteotomy or
odontosections)

 Ejectors or elevators : instruments used to extract

dental roots or complete teeth. They are used as a
lever. (straight and winter)

 Forceps : forceps used to perform simple tooth

extractions. They consist of two parts: one consisting
of the blades (they allow the crown of the tooth to be
held) and the other the arms of the forceps (they
allow the dentist to hold the instrument with his
hand).

 Curettage spoons : angled instruments used to curettage

sockets or bony areas with inflammatory tissue.

 Mosquitoes : they serve to hold any bleeding

vessels, inflammatory tissue and dental roots.
  Dissecting forceps (with or without teeth): used to
grasp the flap when suturing, the dentist holds it with
one hand and with the other, thanks to the needle
holder, he passes the needle through the flap.

 Gouge pliers : used to remove splinters or ridges.

 Instruments for preventive activities.

Materials are used to apply fluoride to the teeth, whether they are disposable
trays (apply fluoride gel) or swabs (in the form of varnish) or also with a syringe.

Disposable brushes that adapt to the contra angle are needed to clean the teeth
before using sealants. These sealants are applied using disposable brushes.

 Clinical instruments for prostheses.

 Trays for impression taking : they are

containers adapted to the shape of the dental
arches. The printing material is deposited in
them. There are several sizes and different
materials.

 Cups and spatulas for alginates and plasters : the

cups are used to mix the alginate or plaster with water,
and carry out the subsequent mixing. The spatula is
used to make the batter, which at its distal end has a
curvature to fit well with the walls of the cup.
  Knives and heat sources for handling waxes:
to handle and shape dental waxes, a heat source
(hot water, alcohol or gas burner) is necessary to
liquefy the wax and to heat the knife. A knife is an
instrument that has two ends, one sharp (to cut strips of wax) and the
other shaped like a spoon (to liquefy chunks of wax).

 Bridge lifting hammer : used to remove fixed prostheses. It is an

instrument that has a tab that is inserted into the
gingival end of the prosthesis or somewhere under
the pontic. It has a rod along which a weight slides
until it stops.

 Articulator : device used to reproduce the position

and movements of the patient's jaws.

 Instrumental in periodontics.

In addition to ultrasound devices to perform tartrectomies, the periodontist uses

specific instruments such as:

 Gracey curettes: angled instruments with active

cutting parts used to remove subgingival tartar when
scaling and root planing are performed.

 Morse Tips

They are used to remove supragingival tartar when ultrasound is not used.

 Osteotrimer

All three are sharpened with the Arkansas stone.

 Instrumental in conservative dentistry.

  Insulation material :

When it is necessary to isolate a tooth from the rest, the following are used:

o Cylindrical cotton rolls , which are changed

when soaked.

o Rubber dams: they are disposable rubber

sheets that are drilled with perforators. The
rubber, once drilled, is placed on top of the
tooth to be treated, so that the dental
crown passes through the drilling and is
isolated from the rest. Through Young's arch it is kept stretched in a
rubber dam.

 Material for cleaning cavities :

o Rotary instruments :

 Turbine or contra angle milling cutters.

 Dental spoons.
  Excavators.

 Instruments for the preparation of cements and

cavity bases :

o Glass tile : the powder and the liquid, which

will constitute the cement, are mixed on them,
the mixing is carried out with a spatula while
the application of the cement is carried out using plastic instruments
or angled pieces, whose active parts are formed by a small spatula

Instruments in Endodontics

* Rating:
-Instrumental and auxiliary material.
-Endodontic Instruments themselves.
-Instrumental and complementary material for Endodontic Treatment.

1.- Instruments and Auxiliary Material

a) Clinical Instruments.
b) Instruments and Diagnostic Apparatus.
c) Instruments for Anesthesia.
d) Instruments for Isolation of the operating field.

a) Clinical Instrumentation:
-Explorers or Curved or straight probes (No. 6)  large instrument to be able
to enter the canal.
-Flat mirrors (N°5)  large to see the entrance to the duct.
-Healing tongs  with wide bites.
-Cavities spoon.
b) Instrumentation and Diagnostic Apparatus:
-Ray Team.
-Ethyl Chloride  allows cold pulp vitality tests to be taken.
-Gutta-percha bar  allows pulp vitality tests to be taken with heat.
-Vitalometer  launches a low-intensity electrical discharge to see pulp
vitality.
-Magnifier for Rx, and binocular magnifiers or microscope.
-Periodontal probe.

c) Instruments for Anesthesia:

-Topical Anesthesia.
-Carpule Syringe.
-Disposable Needles.
-Anesthesia.

d) Instrumentation for Isolation of the operating field:

-Rubber dam perforator.
-Clamp holder  I hope it is straight.
-Young's arch.
-Rubber dam  medium, not thin because it breaks.
-Clamps.
-211  for previous PDs.
-206-208  Premolres.
-212  It is not used because it has a very large bite so it vasculates in
the previous PDs.
-210  not used because it does not have a fin.

-Metallic and plastic sanding wheels.

-Dental floss, Wedges, Vaseline, Gum scissors.

2.- Endodontic Instruments themselves

a) Opening of the endodontic cavity (Trepanation).
b) Preparation of access to the root canal.
c) Instruments for the preparation of the root canal.
d) Instruments for Irrigation and Aspiration.
e) Instruments and Materials for the Obturation of Root Canals.

 ASSISTANCE IN DENTAL OPERATIVE INSTRUMENTATION.

Ergonomics is the science that studies and investigates methods that aim to
adapt work to the psychophysiological conditions of the human being.

Through ergonomics, work is simplified and adapted, improving performance

and reducing risks.

The role of the dental assistant is essential to achieve ergonomic objectives,

since they will be the one who helps the dentist in their work. It is usually
preferable for the dentist and the assistant to do their work sitting down, if
possible in a large area of 3 m2. Stools that are easy to move and designed to
keep the thighs parallel to the floor and the spine perpendicular to the floor of
the office should be used. The head and neck should not be hyperextended.

Job positions for dental assistant and dentist.

To understand the positions well, we take the clock hands as a reference. The
basic work area of the dentist is between nine and twelve, that of the assistant
between two and five, and the part between twelve and two is an area shared
by both.

Instrumentation.

There are several factors that contribute decisively to improving work:

Correct preparation and placement of work trays.

Adequate maintenance of the equipment.

Four-hand work technique.

The instruments should be placed on the tray so that the piece to be delivered
last should be on the opposite side to the one being worked on. There are
several ways to deliver the instruments:

Handheld instruments should never be handed over the patient's face, to avoid
accidents and anxiety situations.

The instruments that must be assembled to be handled are delivered in

conditions suitable for immediate use.

The assistant delivers with his right hand and picks up with his left.

The instrumentation method may vary, if instead of simply delivering an

instrument, a transfer of instruments is going to be carried out between the
assistant and the dentist.