INSTRUMENTS AND

GENERAL
INSTRUMENTATION
FOR CAVITY
PREPARATION
HAND CUTTING INSTRUMENTS :
 Are those instruments used to cut ,plane, scrape
or cleave tooth structure during preparation of a
cavity to receive restoration or other treatment .
 Uses:

1. Explorer
2. As gauges
3. As cutting and smoothing tools

- Hand cutting instrument maybe single-or double-

ended.
 Parts :
a. Handle or shaft
b. Shank
c. Blade
ESSENTIAL PARTS :
 Handle – use to hold the
instrument and direct action of
the working surfaces.
 Shank – is the tapered section
of the instrument that connects
the handle with the blade or
nib.
 Blade – is the working end of a
cutting instrument and normally
has three cutting edges ( one on
the end and two on the sides ).
 Nib – is the working surface of
an instrument used to
insert ,condense and finish a
restorative material .
* manufactured from 2 types of
steel – carbon or stainless steel.
 INSTRUMENTS FORMULA
( BLACK’S INSTRUMENT FORMULAS )

 Hand cutting
instrument is described
by series of numerals
stamped on the side of
the handle ,which
signify measurements in
the decimal system .
 The numbers are placed
in a definite sequence:
 1. the first numeral
indicates the width of
the blade in tenths of
millimeter
2. The second numeral
indicates the length of
the blade in millimeters .
3.The third numeral
designates the angle the
blade forms with the long
axis of the handle
expressed in centigrades
4. Fourth figure is placed in
the formula designating
the angle made by the
cutting edge with the ling
axis of the handle
 Ex. Three-unit
formula binagle
hatchet –
 Formula -15-8-12
 15- blade width 1.5
mm
 8- blade length
 12- blade angled 12
centigrades from axis
of handle or shaft
 All hand cutting instruments are
excavators ,or instruments designed for
the removing of hard tooth tissue.
 Functions of excavators are to remove
caries and to shape the walls ,floors line
angles and point angles during cavity
preparation by cleaving ,planing or lateral
scraping .
 The class of the
excavator describes
the form or shape of
the cutting edge .
a. Chisel
b. Hatchet
c. Hoe
d. Trimmer
e. Angle former
f. Spoon
g. cleoid
h. Discoid
 The subclass
delineates the angle
or angles of the
shank of the
instruments :
a.Straight - no angle
b.monangle- one angle
c.binangle- two angles
c.Triple angle- three
angles
HAND INSTRUMENTS
TECHNIQUE
 FOUR GRASP USED WITH HAND
INSTRUMENTS :
 MODIFIED PEN GRASP
 INVERTED PEN GRASP
 PALM –AND –THUMB GRASP
 MODIFIED PALM AND THUMB GRASP
MODIFIED PEN GRASP :

 It is Similar to that
used in holding a pen.
 pads of the
thumb ,index and
middle fingers contact
the instruments ,while
the tip of the ring
fingers is placed on a
nearby tooth surface
of the same arch as a
rest.
INVERTED PEN GRASP
 The finger positions of
the inverted pen grasp
are the same as for the
modified pen grasp. The
hand is rotated, so
that the palm faces more
toward the operator
 This grasp is used mostly
for tooth preparations
employing the lingual
approach on anterior
teeth.
PALM-AND-THUMB GRASP
 The handle is placed in
the palm of the hand
and grasped by all the
fingers, while the
thumb is
free of the instrument,
and the rest is provided
by supporting the tip of
the thumb on a nearby
tooth of the same arch
or on
a firm, stable
structure.
MODIFIED PALM-AND-THUMB
GRASP
 used when it is
feasible to rest the
thumb on the tooth
being prepared or the
adjacent tooth.
 The handle of the
instrument is
held by all four fingers,
whose pads press the
handle against the
distal area of the palm
and the pad and first
joint of the thumb.
 Rests
 A proper instrument grasp must include a firm rest
to steady the hand during operating procedures.
 When the modified pen grasp and the inverted
pen grasp are used, rests are established by
placing the ring finger (or both ring and little
fingers)
 on a tooth (or teeth) of the same arch and as
close to the operating site as possible .
 The closer the rest areas are to the operating
area, the more reliable they are.
 When the palm-and-thumb grasps are used, rests
are created by placing the tip of the thumb on the
tooth being operated on, on an adjacent tooth, or
on a convenient area of the same arch.
 Guards
 Guards are hand instruments or other items,
such as interproximal wedges, used to
protect soft tissue from contact with sharp
cutting or abrasive instruments.