In this part of the dental-tools.co.uk 7 step guide we will be covering the instruments used to make the dentists life easier. These will include different lights and an appropriate dental chair. Such tools are also designed in a way to make the dental environment a comfortable place for the patient to be in.

Bite Block
A bite block may be used by the dentist to keep a patients mouth open to allow better access when administering treatment. This is sometimes used in longer treatments where the patient may struggle to keep the mouth open for the duration. The block is horseshoe shaped and made from various synthetic materials. Especially useful regarding the occlusion of the teeth, bite blocks can also be used to record the spatial relation between the jaws. Dental bite blocks vary in size to facilitate their use on both children and adults.

Curing Light
A Curing Light resembles a small hand drill, but instead of drilling they emit a powerful beam of light from their halogen bulbs. This light is used to harden or ‘cure’ the filling material. Materials that a curing light tool would be used upon are; non amalgam, white or tooth coloured fillings, and sealants used for other treatments.

Being liquid based these sealants and synthetic materials known as composites are very soft. The use of the curing light tool hardens them into a shell like substance. Layers of material can be added to ‘build up’ a larger filling. Curing Lights often feature; intensity controls, shields and have ergonomic pistol grips. Shields are usually clamp attachable and are used to block reflection and UV radiation. The shields can be completely sterilised as they are made from a single piece of material.

Condenser
A condenser or ‘plugger’ is used by the dentist to press the silver amalgam filling material into the cavity of the tooth. It is typically a stainless steel rod with thin, angled, flattened points on either end. These points vary in size to allow the dentist to complete the work efficiently before the material hardens.

Matrix Bands
The dentist uses Matrix Bands in situations where the cavity is located between the teeth. The band prevents filling materials from bonding to the other tooth. The band is removed by the dentist when the filling has been completed.

Bone Chisel
Bone Chisels are used in oral surgery such as Corrective Jaw Surgery ‘Dentofacial Osteotomy’. The Bone Chisel is used to cut, modify, re-align or even move dentofacial deformities.

Dental Excavators
Excavators are dental tools used to remove soft decayed tissue from a patients mouth. Visually they are a stainless steel rod with a tip fashioned into a very small spoon shape. They are used to open up the teeth as part of the preparation when administering a filling.

Dentist Chairs
One of the largest tools the dentist will use on a daily basis is the renown ‘Dentists Chair’. Dentist Chairs are ergonomically designed for the comfort of both the patient and the dentist. Modern chairs have control panels on either side for use by the dentist and their assistant.

Attachments for mounting hoses, syringes and even x-ray viewers can be part of the modern dental chair, making it a multi purpose work station for the dentist. Many dentists suffer from occupational poor posture leading to back, neck, arm or hand pain. Using a suitably designed seat and adjustable dental chairs can help alleviate these conditions.

Dental X-ray Luminators and Holders
A Dental X-ray Holder is used to position a patients dental x-rays against a back-lit screen know as a Luminator. This allows a dentist to view the x-rays quickly whilst treating the patient. The equipment may be free standing or wall mounted and usually work with both panoramic and intra-oral mouth x-rays.

Dental Lamps
Dental Lamps are high intensity light sources used for a wide variety of dental applications. They provide ‘task lighting’ providing luminance and contrast for the dentist work area.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Dental Tools, History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.