Redefining Extractions with FRINGS Forceps

As a general dentist with two busy offices in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, Dr. Sean Grady has no shortage of patients needing extractions. While he sends impacted third molars to the oral surgeon, he otherwise performs about 15 to 20 extractions per month in-house. Yet, over the years, he never saw much of an evolution in forceps or other instruments needed for the often challenging procedure.

“If I looked at the typical 150 forceps now versus 20 years ago, they’d look exactly the same. Nothing’s changed,” he said, noting that he carries multiple brands, from generic to market leaders. “And there isn’t a lot of difference between them.”

Recently, he learned about TBS Dental’s extraction instruments and found there has been some considerable innovation in their design. The result of more than a decade of clinical research, FRINGS—or forceps with springs—are designed to make extractions easier thanks to several key features. One such differentiator is its auto-retractable technology, whereby a patented internal spring eliminates the need to use fingers to open the beaks, facilitating better control and less exertion and tension on the hands.

For Dr. Grady, the spring-driven design was a welcome change—and one that he has long sensed was missing from forceps.

“I have other instruments that are spring-loaded, and I’ve wondered why extraction forceps aren’t, because that would be a great thing. So, I was very pleased when I saw these,” he said. “Typically, with forceps you’d have to have three fingers around one of the handles and use the other two fingers to open and close them. These open and close on their own, so you can grip the instrument better.”

Laser engraved with teeth numbers to assist staff in easily classifying each forcep for respective procedures, FRINGS feature chamfered holes on the handles to allow for weight reduction and increased grip. Crafted with 100% German stainless steel, the forceps’ two-tone titanium nitride coating aids in efficient sterilization and gives FRINGS their trademarked blue look.

“The first thing I noticed about the forceps is they felt great in the hand,” said Dr. Grady. “The metal is dense. They’re heavy but not too heavy, and you can tell they’re high quality. They’re shaped a little different than other forceps, but once you use them, you realize how helpful the design is.”

Easier Access and a Better Grip

All FRINGS feature beaks that are tapered, serrated, and beveled for an optimal grip on the tooth and to minimize tooth fracture. Dr. Grady noted that these differ from other forceps that have smoother beaks and can easily slip off the tooth. “The serrations on the beak of the FRINGS forceps are almost sharp in a way, so you can really grip the tooth well,” he said. “I deal with a lot of teeth that are broken down to the gum line and there just isn’t a lot to grab on to. But the beaks on these instruments are small and they’ve got great serrations, so I was able to remove root tips and pieces of broken down tooth structure that would typically give me a lot of trouble with other instruments.”

Setting Up the Atraumatic Extraction

Combining the precision of a periotome with the strength of a luxating elevator, TBS Dental’s elvatome 2.0 features a spade-shaped sharp tip for precise ligament severing and alveolar bone expansion. The elvatome’s ergonomic TWIST handle is designed to reduce clinician fatigue and ensure a controlled and comfortable procedure. Another instrument, the BTG Surgical Elevator is used to cut the periodontal ligament (PDL) and loosen teeth prior to extraction. Its diamond-dusted handle is designed to provide maximum comfort and enhanced performance.

Dr. Grady described the elevation instruments as “very effective,” noting the ease of reaching and severing the PDL, and better elevating the tooth structure.

Less Aggressive Means More Conservative

Overall, Dr. Grady found that extractions can be more conservative with the instruments from TBS Dental, with greater ease of removing smaller pieces of tooth structure and root tips.

“With a lot of other instruments, you just can’t get a grip. You have to be more aggressive, flapping the gum tissue back, drilling the bone out of the way. Here, I could be conservative with the extraction, because it’s easier to remove the root tips and I can do a more effective bone graft,” he said.

With a design that diverges from conventional extraction forceps, FRINGS marks a paradigm shift in exodontia techniques.

“I really do like the instruments a lot,” Dr. Grady said. “On the website, it says they’re designed by dentists, and it’s obvious that practitioners had input with the design of these instruments, especially with the way they feel in your hands. It just makes it easier to do what you’re doing.”