Dental tools are a set of equipment that helps the dentist to carry out the necessary procedures and operations in the patient’s oral cavity. They are associated with the examination, treatment, removal, and restoration of teeth. Dentists use various types of tools for a specific purpose. Tools have a very wide range of applications. You can select tools for cleaning, removing and restoring teeth by filling or prosthetics.
Within their office and close to their work area, dentists must have a set of instruments and tools to carry out their work. From the basic materials such as cotton to the sheets to make the x-ray plates, each element in a dental clinic is important for the proper attention of the patients who are going to be treated.
The instruments used by dentists are manufactured exclusively for this purpose. They seek to provide solutions to the problems presented by the different patients who approach dental consultations as a working tool for the dentist.
CLASSIFICATION
In modern dentistry, there are a huge number of dental instruments that are used both for examining the patient’s oral cavity and for surgical operations related to the removal and restoration of teeth. Dental tools are divided into groups that unite them for a specific purpose.
We have three main groups in which we can divide the dental instruments:
- General tools that are used in most procedures
- Tools for tooth extraction
- Tools designed for tooth restoration
GENERAL TOOLS
The use of this type of tool is most common in dental practice. The scope of this type of tool often has no boundaries. These tools are used both during a routine examination of the patient’s oral cavity and in dental surgery. This reputable lancaster dentist can use tools to study the depth and soreness of carious cavities, to clean plaque, as well as when filling a tooth, for filling it with various filling materials.
- Intraoral camera: It is used to evaluate the conditions of the teeth. You can quickly pass between the teeth to get an idea of the extent of their separation, the presence and determination of the amount of dental plaque, as well as tooth decay or other pathologies that the denture can present. Research highlights the importance of this tool.
- Dental probe: The probe has a huge range of applications. A dentist can use it to study the depth and soreness of carious cavities, to clean plaque, as well as when filling a tooth, for filling it with various filling materials.
- Dental mirror: This tool is of great importance in the examination and examination of the oral cavity. Since some teeth are located far in the mouth and have several sides, the dentist will not be able to fully examine them without the use of a dental mirror. This element of the dental instrument improves the visibility of the work area for the dentist. The mirror is also used to examine the cheeks and tongue so that they are not damaged during treatment with rotating or prickly instruments.
- Dental excavator: The tool is mainly used to remove hardened plaque from the teeth, as well as deposits accumulated over the gums.
- Syringe: It’s used to give anesthesia to the patient – usually, it’s injected in the gum area in the proximity of the bad tooth.
- Air-water syringe: It allows the dentist to supply air or water to the appropriate area in the oral cavity. The tips of this syringe are made of stainless steel.
- Intraoral scanner: An advanced tool used to create a digital impression of the patient’s oral cavity. By capturing detailed 3D images, the intraoral scanner helps in designing custom restorations, such as crowns and bridges, with high precision and efficiency. This reduces the need for traditional plaster models and significantly enhances patient comfort during the impression process.
EXTRACTION TOOLS
- Extraction: This type of tool is used to remove overly damaged teeth, as well as the primary teeth which we need to remove, to ensure unhindered cutting of permanent teeth, or simply to create space during orthodontic procedures.
- The elevator: An element of dental instruments designed to remove teeth, dental roots, as well as individual elements (residues) of a decayed tooth from the alveoli of the tooth.
- Tongs: In the extraction process, various forceps are used. There are upper front, lower front, upper rear, and lower rear forceps. Each of these special forceps also comes in children’s sizes.
RECONSTRUCTION TOOL
Dental restoration is carried out in different ways and for various reasons. Dental restoration includes an amalgam and composite fillings, gluing, shaping, coronation, as well as the removal of tooth roots.
- The drill: It is commonly known as a handpiece or a dental micro-drill. Your dental specialist may use it along with many different bits to fix the tooth decay, prepare the tooth for filling and restore the tooth surface after the gluing process.
- Amalgam carrier: The amalgam holder consists of a small tube at one end and a large tube.
- Stopper: After inserting the amalgam in the teeth, your dental specialist may use a stopper to tightly pack that amalgam.
- Putty knife. During the time when the tooth undergoes restoration with composite materials or porcelain, we must glue the material to the rest of the teeth or tooth. The dentist will use a spatula in order to mix the correct glue and powder solution to form a mixture as required. The doctor then uses a spatula to apply glue to the crown of the tooth.
- High-speed handpiece: ” The drill” buccal is a fundamental and basic tool for the dentist since it is used both in the cleaning of the teeth and in the penetration of the same during caries removal treatments. It is used in the removal of dental plaque as well as when the intention is to perform root canal treatments and it is necessary to expand or create a canal in the tooth.
- Saliva extractor: it consists of a hose attached to a device – its system is responsible for eliminating excess saliva that is in the oral cavity thus preventing it from causing some kind of problems during the procedure. It is usually less uncomfortable to tolerate than the rest of the dental instruments.
Conclusion
The tools commonly used by dental doctors in their consultations are necessary and useful for facilitating your treatment procedures. Although your role for your health doesn’t just end at a consultation, you should also ensure that wether all the tools and instruments are properly sterilized or not.
