Basic Dental Instruments

Dentists need a comprehensive knowledge of all the instruments used in dentistry, but dental assistants should familiarize themselves with the basic dental instruments, too. Knowing the main instruments and their form and function can also help patients alleviate some of their anxiety associated with a trip to the dentist.

Mirror

• The slight angle of the mirror makes invisible parts visible.

  The mirror tool has a long, thin metal handle and an angled mirror at the top, which dentists refer to as the "working end." The part of the metal connecting the mirror to the handle is the shank. These terms apply to every dental hand instrument.

  The mirror magnifies, reflects light and allows the dentist to see hard-to-reach parts of the mouth. It can also move and manipulate parts of the mouth temporarily during an examination.

Probe

• Probes have long handles and one or two working ends with pointed metal tips. The dentist uses probes to scrape and prod surfaces for signs of decay and defects. Probes come with tips at different angles and with different levels of sharpness. Blunter ends protect tissue from damage.

Tweezers and Pliers

• Dentists use tweezers and pliers to insert and remove objects into and from the mouth. A dentist can use pliers to hold a cotton swab to stem bleeding, for example. Some tweezers and pliers may even have a lock to keep them in place.

Forceps

• Forceps provide a stronger grip than tweezers and pliers, and dentists use them to break and extract teeth. Both the handles and the beaks--the movable ends that attach to either side of the teeth--may have irregular angles to give the dental surgeon access to different parts of the mouth or different types of teeth, such as molars.

Cutting Instruments

• Cutting instruments include the excavator, which may have the shape of a spoon to allow the dentist to remove debris from the tooth; the chisel, which chips away at the outer surface (enamel) of the teeth; and hatchets, whose working ends have small blades for cutting and scraping.

Handpiece

• A dentist holds the mouth open to allow the handpiece to enter.

  A handpiece is a motorized tool with a wide handle. The rotating working end has several attachments, each for a different use. One of the attachments is a bur, which drills into teeth, hence the common nontechnical term "dentist's drill." Burs vary in angle, shape and surface texture, depending on the nature of the work. Dentists use a handpiece in procedures such as fillings and endodontic therapy, commonly known as a root canal.