Written by: Dr Adiya Category: Study Guide
As soon as you get enrolled into BDS program you are immediately advised to arrange the basic set of instruments. It is advised so, because these instruments serve as a right hand for Dentist.
As also said,
As a dentist’s instruments are as essential to them as weapons are to an army..
There are hundreds of instruments available to assist dentists and dental students in their clinical practice.
Out of those there are a few basic instruments which each and every dentist have to have in their instruments kit.
3 Basic Dental Instruments
These are very simple and basic instruments which greatly make a Dentist’s life easy.
1) Mouth Mirror
A clear and distant vision is essential for performing any dental procedure. The field should be viewed directly but in some areas it isn’t possible and there mouth mirror comes in action.
Mirror’s major roles are:
- Indirect Vision: It allows the dentist to visualize the areas which can not be assessed directly. In this way it also allows the dentist to maintain good posture while performing the procedure.
- Reflector of Light: Properly positioned not only help in vision of the area but also reflect the light in operating area.
- Soft Tissue Retractor: It also serves the purpose of retractor of soft tissues to aid access and visualisation.
Most widely used sizes of mouth mirrors are No. 4 and No. 5.In constriced are No.2 is used.
2) Explorer
It is one of the basic instruments used by a dentist. It is a pointed instrument that serves the following purposes:
- To feel the tooth surfaces for irregularities
- Determination of hardness of exposed dentin
Commnonly used explorer is Shepherd’s hook, or No. 23, explorer. For proximal surfaces (mesial and distal) Cowhorn Explorer is useful.
3) Periodontal Probe
Probe is an important dental instrument and its uses includes:
- Detection of periodontal pockets
- Measurement of periodontal pockets
- Determination of dimensions of instruments, tooth preparations or restoration (In operative dentistry)
Michigan O probe, PCP12 probe and PSR(periodontal screening and recording) probe are widely used probes.
