Ch. 34 Dental Hand Instruments

Characterized by an angle of a surface that meets another angle.

Flat edge of instrument, sharp enough to cut.

Part of a dental instrument that the operator grasps.

Blunt point or tip.

Flat or level surface of the working end of an instrument.

Sharp or tapered end.

Having notch like projections that extend from a flat surface.

Part of an instrument where the handle attaches to the working end.

Having a sense of touch or feeling.

Part of a dental instrument that is used on the tooth or when dental materials are mixed.

The instruments used in restorative dental procedures are classified into four categories: examination, hand cutting, restorative, and accessory.

Allow the operator to thoroughly examine the health status of the oral cavity

Allow the operator to remove decay manually and to smooth, finish, and prepare the tooth structure for its final restoration.

Allow the operator to restore a tooth by placing, condensing, and carving a dental material to the original anatomy of the tooth structure.

Are miscellaneous instruments and items that are used to complete a procedure.

The mouth mirror, the Explorer, and the cotton forceps are to be set out for every procedure. These instruments are referred to as the basic setup.

Is designed to have a straight handle, a slight angle to the shank, and a working end, with a round metal disc and a mirror on one side. Can have a flat or concave surface. Used for a variety of purposes.

Are multifunctional instruments that are included in the set up for every procedure. Are available in many shapes, but all have a thin, flexible, wirelike working end with a sharp point at the tip. Common types are the right angle, pigtail, and shepherds hook. The thin tip enables the operator to use tactile sensitivity to distinguish areas of calculus or decay from discrepancies on the surfaces of the teeth.

Are used to carry, place, and retrieve small objects, such as cotton pellets, gingival retraction cord, matrix bands, and wedges, to and from the mouth. The tips are available with plain or serrated points, or beaks.

Used to measure the sulcus or pocket depth of the periodontium of each tooth. This measurement indicates to the clinician the overall gingival health of that area. The working end of the instrument has calibrated markings in millimeters, which are easier to read. Some are color coded to enhance reading.

Represent the next group of instruments placed on the tray set up after the examination instruments. These instruments allow the dentist to manually remove decayed tooth structure, to smooth cavity walls and floors of the preparation, and to place any bevels or retention grooves to hold the dental material within the tooth.

Are used to place, condense, and carve the restorative dental materials back to reflect the normal anatomy of that tooth. Most dentists use these instruments in a specific sequence. Instruments selected for the tray setup vary with the dentist's preferences and the type of dental material selected for the procedure.

Not necessarily included in the tray setup but can be pulled from the dental cabinets or tub to be used for many procedures. When additional items are used for this procedure, you must follow proper infection control guidelines regarding disinfection and sterilization of the item before you place it back into the cabinet.

One of the most versatile instruments on the tray set up. Have a working end that is circular or elongated. The two most commonly used are the spoon excavator in the back spoon. The spoon excavator is used for removal of soft dentin, debris, and decay from the tooth. The back spoon has a flat appearance but is used for the same purposes.

Is similar in appearance to the garden tool, the blade is almost perpendicular to the handle. Is used to prepare the tooth and to plane the walls and floors of the tooth preparation with a push-pull action.

Has a straight or angled shank and a single beveled cutting edge. Common types include the straight chisel, the bin angle chisel, the wedelstaedt chisel, and the angle former chisel. Used most often to break down the enamel margin of the tooth preparation, to form sharp lines and point angles, and to place retention grooves.

Are similar in appearance to wood hatchets. The cutting edge is parallel to the long axis of the handle. Hatchets are used to cut enamel and to smooth the walls and floors of the tooth preparation.

It type of chisel that has been modified so the blade is curved slightly for mesial or distal access into the preparation. Gingival margin trimmers are used to cut enamel and to place bevels along the gingival enamel margins of the preparation.

A double-ended instrument designed with wells on either end that is used to pack freshly mixed amalgam and carry it into the prepared tooth.

Have a flat working innd that can be smooth or serrated. They come in varying sizes to accommodate the size of the preparation preparation. to enable the operator to reach all areas of the preparation, the shank of the instrument is angled. The amalgam condenser, also known as a plugger, is used to condense freshly placed amalgam into the preparation.

An instrument with a smooth working end. The rounded working and is available in many shapes to accomplish different tasks. Common types include the football, ball, acorn, T ball, and beaver tail. Burnishers are routinely used to smooth the surface of freshly placed amalgam restoration.

Designed with a sharp edge on the working end to remove excess material, to contour surfaces, and to carve anatomy back into the amalgam or immediate restoration before it hardens. Various styles of carvers are available

Is especially useful for carving of the occlusal surfaces.

Is used to contour or remove excess material interproximally.

Designed with a sharp edge for the removal of excess restorative material along the margin where the material and the tooth structure meet. the knife has several angles in the shank and working end that enable the operator to reach specific areas of a tooth most often interproximal areas.

Designed specifically for the placement of composite restorative materials. Composite placement instruments are made from anodized aluminum or teflon. These materials prevent the composite material from being scratched. The instruments do not discolor the composite material, as do stainless steel instruments.

Double-ended instrument that is made from hard plastic or stainless steel. One end is a paddle that is used for carrying dental materials to the prepared tooth structure. The other end is a nib, which resembles a condenser.

Are used for most procedures in which a dental material is involved. Flexible mixing spatula is single-ended, made of stainless steel, comes in two sizes # 15 and # 24, and is used to mix liners, bases, and cement.

Most often associated with restorative dental procedures are crown and bridge scissors, which are available curved or straight blades. They are useful for many tasks, such as cutting dental dam material, retraction cord, and stainless steel crowns.

Is made of metal and as waited with a non-skid base. The newly mixed amalgam is placed in the well; it is then picked up in the carrier for transfer to the dentist.

Versatile pliers that can be used in many procedures for many tasks. Their design is straight and includes beaks that have a flat rounded end, making them useful for holding items. Howe pliers are used for carrying cotton products to and from the oral cavity, for moving the matrix band, and replacing and removing the wedge.

Used to hold and carry articulating paper to the mouth. This carbon paper material varies in thickness and color and is used to check a patient's bite following placement of a new restoration, crown, bridge, or denture. This mark must appear equal in distribution across the occlusal surface of the tooth. If one area appears lighter or darker the patients bite is incorrect and will need to be adjusted.