When I am sitting in the dental or hygiene chair, I always check out the array of instruments that have been laid out for my appointment. I find it fascinating to watch the practitioner’s process of choosing and using instruments and am always tempted to jump in when he or she yells “scalpel!” Just kidding! I’ve wondered how many periodontal instruments there are and what goes into choosing which ones to use. Turns out, there are a lot, and it’s quite a process.
Every variety of instruments available has been designed for specific procedures: diagnostics, scaling, root planing, curetting, periodontal endoscopy, cleaning, polishing, and surgery. You’ve got your explorers, probes, curettes, sickles, hoes, chisels, periotomes, files, pliers, scissors, nippers, and a whole host of ultrasonic devices. The various shapes and designs are meant to remove supra- and subgingival calculus, scrape off stains, find decay, measure pockets, cut tissue, extract teeth, and perform all sorts of other procedures. Considerations include durability (especially when it comes to repeated cleaning and sterilizing), what material the instrument is made of, the angle at which the shank bends, its rigidity or flexibility, its balance and how it transfers pressure, and so on. Ergonomics is another important consideration, which includes instrument weight and surface texture (ie, ribbed patterns versus rubber coating), what circumference is more comfortable, how much pressure is required to hold it throughout a procedure, etc. Repetitive grasping and finger pressure (especially if it constantly presses on a nerve during the process) can be as damaging long term as repetitive motion. Considering that instruments are what enable dental treatment and the impact they have on how skillfully, easily, and efficiently that happens, choosing them is among the most important decisions dental professionals make.
With hundreds of instruments available, perusing the DPS perio-instruments category will help you narrow the field.