The Structure of Dental Hand Instruments

Dental professionals use a variety of hand instruments to keep teeth clean and healthy. These instruments are highly specialized. Each one corresponds to a different function in dental care. The instruments must be cleaned, sterilized and organized for use on patients.

Materials

• According to "Dental Terminology" by Charline M. Dofka, dental hand instruments are made of several materials. Commonly this includes stainless steel, anodized aluminum, plastic and resin.

Instrument Structure

• Three portions comprise dental hand instruments. These are the working end, shank, and handle or shaft. The working end is crafted for a certain function. These include cutting, exploring and smoothing. The shaft is the handle portion of the hand instrument. These can be coated with rubber or hexagonal in shape, to provide for better gripping. The shank bridges the working end to the handle. It can be angled, so that it conforms to the contours of the mouth.

Classification

• Dental instruments are classified in various ways. They can be classified by the number of working ends. This places the instruments into two categories: single-ended or double-ended. If classified by function, the instruments are grouped into cutting and non-cutting instruments. Cutting instruments include chisels, excavators, and gingival trimmers. Non-cutting instruments contain no blades. This includes instruments such as mirrors and pliers.