DENTAL INSTRUMENTS
Dental instruments are tools that dental professionals use to provide dental treatment. They include tools to examine, manipulate, treat, restore, and remove teeth and surrounding oral structures.
PURPOSE
Dental instruments are designed to be used by the dentist and staff during dental care. Instruments aid in the assessment and treatment of dental disease. Each is designed for a specific purpose
There are many different dental instruments used by oral health care professionals in their different roles and specialties. Certain types of instruments are unique to various therapeutic procedures.
ASSESSMENT
During an examination by a general dentist the following diagnostic instruments may be used:
- Cotton pliers: used for placing cotton rolls or plugets to dry up saliva.
- Mouth mirror: used to view hard-to-see areas such as the roof of the mouth, behind the molars, and behind the anterior teeth.
- Probes: used to measure the depth of periodontal pockets or sulci.
- Explorers: used to detect dental caries in tooth grooves and pits.