How to Set Up a Composite Resin Tray

Composite resin is used for tooth-colored fillings. It is a soft, puttylike material that is in carpules placed in a composite gun to properly direct it into the filling. An ultraviolet light source is used to polymerize or set up the resin so it can be finished down with burs and discs by the dentist. Each dentist has his own routine, and the materials he uses are not necessarily what another dentist prefers. Only pre-set a tray for a dentist that has made his preferences known.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic dental procedure tray
• Mouth mirror
• Explorer
• Spoon excavator
• Composite application instrument
• Cotton pliers
• Articulating paper holder
• Syringe
• Anesthetic carpule
• #2 through #6 round carbide burs
• Flame-shaped diamond bur
• Flame-shaped finishing bur
• Cone shaped finishing bur
• Two glass or plastic dappen dishes
• 1 Vial acid etchant
• 1 Vial bonding agent
• Brush tip applicators
• Composite gun
• Composite gun carpules
• Saliva ejector
• High-speed suction evacuator
• Cotton rolls
• Cotton pellets
• Cotton tipped applicators
• Celluloid strip
• Wooden wedges
• Articulating paper

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Instructions

• 1

  Choose a tray that already has grooves in it to prevent instruments from moving around.

  Choose an instrument tray to use. The best one to use is a tray that already has grooves in it for the instruments.

• 2

  A mouth mirror and an explorer are necessary on every set-up tray.

  Place a mouth mirror, explorer, spoon excavator, composite applicator instrument, cotton pliers and an articulating paper holder into the instrument grooves on the tray.

• 3

  Have the syringe capped but ready to go.

  Open a syringe and place a carpule of anesthetic. If the anesthetic is for a lower tooth, make sure it is an aspirating syringe and give it a gentle thump on the plunger to engage the barb into the rubber stopper of the carpule.

• 4

  Football shaped finishers are handy on composite fillings

  Place a round bur block onto the tray in one of the little partitioned areas. Load the bur block with #2, #4 and #6 round burs. Also place several smoothing diamonds, a flame-shaped course and a flame-shaped fine bur as well as a diamond cone.

• 5

  Dentist preference dictates tray set-up.

  Put two dappen dishes on the tray, along with vials of acid etchant and bonding agent. Do not put either in the dishes prior to treatment; the bond will harden in ordinary light. Place a brush applicator on the tray for each of these liquids.

• 6

  A dental bib protects the patients clothing from air and water spray.

  Place a composite gun with several carpules of different colored composites. Also place a saliva ejector and a high-speed suction tip.

• 7

  Cotton-tipped applicators can be used to apply etch or bond.

  Put cotton rolls, cotton pellets, cotton-tipped applicators, a celluloid strip, wooden wedges and articulating paper on an open area of the tray.