Different Dental Instruments Used For Various Applications
Mirrors, tweezers and jackhammers are just a few of the dental instruments many patients believe their dentist is using when they work on their teeth. Although jackhammers may be the result of a vivid imagination, mirrors and tweezers along with a variety of probes are the dental instruments used during dental examinations. A sickle probes is used as a dental explorer to find issues under the gum line while a straight probe is that thing a dentists uses to find the part of the tooth that offers the most pain.
Retractors are additional dental instruments used during examinations and treatments to keep the tongue out of the way as well as to provide space between the teeth and gums in which the dentist can work. Even spacers are used to help prop open the mouth to prevent accidental contact between the dentist's fingers and the patient's teeth. And just about everyone is aware of the suction hose used to drain saliva from inside the mouth while the dentist works with all the dental instruments.
Some of the first dental surgery performed is believed to have been drilling with a flint drill bit. Although no mention in the dental history explains how the drill was turned, it is presumed to have been by hand. Since that time, about 6,000 years ago, high speed drills and more modern dental instruments make the work go considerably faster and presumably with a lot less pain.
Tools Of The Trade Are Forever Expanding
As new dental procedures are used new dental instruments are designed to make the work easier and faster. The high-speed dental drill has remained essentially the same for the past 50 years, but the types and sizes of the drill bit have undergone numerous changes. From drilling small holes near cavities in which to inject tooth-saving materials to bur removers to clean around a decayed tooth are now available in a variety of sizes to meet the needs of the dentist.
The dental syringe, on of the dental instruments, is used to inject the gums with a local anesthetic, although many dentists are finding that patients prefer a more non-invasive means of putting their mouth to sleep. Switching to oral anesthetics has helped patients relax more, enabling the dentist to do their job without fear of causing the patient severe pain.
Additionally, many times following gum surgery stitches are needed to hold the tissue closed for healing. While most dentists are not necessarily good at sewing the job is made easier with loop needles as part of the dental instruments tool kit.
