Instruments used
in operative
dentistry
Introduction
• An instrument is a tool used for specific
purpose.
• A wide variety of dental instruments are
used in operative dental procedures.
Classification:
Examination
instruments
Hand Cutting
instruments instruments
Instruments
Rotary Non cutting
instruments instruments
Hand Instruments
Hand Instruments
• Allow the operator to manually
remove caries, as well as prepare
tooth structure to be restored back
to its normal function.
Materials Used in Dental Hand
Instrument
2 main types
(1)Stainless steel:
• Remains bright under most
conditions.
(2) Carbon steel:
• Can corrode.
Design of the dental hand
instrument
1.Handle:
• The longest part.
• The dentist holds the instrument when
using it.
• Could be six-sided or rounded.
• Usually serrated to provide retention.
Design of the dental hand
instrument
2.Shank:
• joins the handle & working end.
• Usually smooth and tapered.
• Can be straight, mono-angle , bi-angle or
tri-angle.
Design of the dental hand
instrument
Mono- angle
Tri- angle
Bi-angle
Design of the dental hand
instrument
3. Working end:
• Portion of the instrument with a
specific function.
Design of the dental hand
instrument
3. Working end:
▪ In a cutting instrument it is named a
blade and has a cutting edge.
▪ In non-cutting instrument it is named
a nib and has a face.
Examination
Instruments
Examination Instruments
• Allow the operator to thoroughly
examine the health status of the oral
cavity.
• Consists of:
▪ Mouth mirror.
▪ Probe/ explorer.
▪ Cotton pliers (tweezers).
▪ Periodontal probe.
Examination Instruments
Mouth mirror:
➢helps in:
1. Indirect vision.
2. Light reflection.
3. Retraction.
4. Tissue
protection.
Examination Instruments
➢Mouth mirror helps in:
1. Indirect vision.
Examination Instruments
➢Mouth mirror helps in:
2. Light reflection.
Examination Instruments
➢Mouth mirror helps in:
3. & 4. Retraction and Tissue
protection
Examination Instruments
Examination Instruments
➢Probe, explorer:
• Used to:
1. Distinguish areas of calculus.
2. Distinguish dental caries.
3. Distinguish
areas of surface
roughness on teeth.
Examination Instruments
➢Periodontal probe:
Measure the depth of gingival
sulcus or pocket depth.
Examination Instruments
➢ Cotton Pliers/ Tweezer:
➢ Carry, retrieve and place small
objects & cotton.
➢ 2 types
• Locking.
• Non-locking.
Cutting
Instruments
Cutting Instruments:
• Cutting instruments are
used to cut hard or soft tissues
of the mouth.
Cutting Instrument Types &
Applications
Cutting instruments are divided into 3
groups:
1. Excavators: are used for removal of dentine.
2. Chisels : for cutting enamel.
3. Others: used for trimming restorative
material rather than for cutting tooth structure.
Cutting instruments
Excavators Chisels
1. Ordinary hatchets. 1. Straight chisels.
2. Hoes. 2. Curved chisels.
3. Angle formers. 3. Enamel hatchets.
4. Spoon excavators. 4. Gingival margin
trimmers.
Other Cutting Instruments
1. The discoid-cleoid.
2. Knives.
3. Files.
4. Carvers.
Excavators:
• Are used to cut infected dentine.
Carvers:
• Are used to shape amalgam or
composite after placement.
Non Cutting Instruments
Non Cutting Instruments
• Resemble cutting instruments in
shape except the working end is
a nib not a blade.
Non Cutting Instruments
Types are
1. Amalgam carriers.
2. Amalgam condensers.
3. Burnishers.
4. Plastic instruments.
Non Cutting Instruments
Amalgam carrier
• An instrument with a
hollow cylinder that is
filled with amalgam &
dispensed with a
plunger.
Non Cutting Instruments
Amalgam condensers
• Are used to adapt amalgam to a
cavity by vertical pressure.
• The working end is flat and may be
✓ Round.
✓ Diamond.
✓ Triangular.
✓ Rectangular.
Non Cutting Instruments
Non Cutting Instruments
Burnishers
Uses
(1) To remove excess amalgam.
(2) To smooth amalgam after carving
Non Cutting Instruments
Plastic Instruments
Used to carry and shape tooth colored
restorative material i.e GIC & composite.
Non Cutting Instruments
Cement spatulas
For mixing restorative material.
Identifying hand instruments
• Black's classification systems
This system categorized instruments by name base
on:
(1) Function (e.g., excavator).
(2) Manner of use (e.g. hand condenser)
(3) Design of the working end (e.g. spoon
excavator,).
(4) Shape of the shank(e.g., mon-angle (one), bi-
angle(two), triple-angle(three)).
These names were combined to form the
complete description of the instrument
(e.g. bi-angle spoon excavator).
Operative Instrument Formulas
• The handle letter (R or L) signifies
that the instrument is one of a pair
made in "right" and "left" in order to
work more efficiently
Operative Instrument Formulas
Instruments could be one end or double
ended
One end
Double ended
Operative Cutting Instrument
Formulas
• Dr. Black also evolved formula for
cutting instruments by which
instruments could be readily
duplicated anywhere.
• These are placed on the handle
using a code of three or four
numbers separated by dashes or
spaces i.e (10-8.5-8-14).
First number (2 digits):
blade width
Second number (2
digits): Cutting edge
angle
Third number (1 digit):
Blade length
Forth number (2
digits): Blade angle
First number (2
digits): blade width in
tenth of millimeters
e.g.: if the blade width
is 1mm the first number
will be 10
Second number (2
digits): Cutting edge
angle.
It is measured from a line
parallel to the long axis of
the instrument handle in
clockwise centigrade.
it is expressed as a
percentage of 360.
e.g.: an angle of 306º=
306/360 x 100 % = 85% =
85= 8.5
.
Third number (1 digit):
Blade length in
millimeters.
Forth number (2
digits): Blade angle.
It is measured relative
to the long axis of the
handle in clockwise
centigrade.
e.g.: an angle of 50º =
50/360 X 100% = 14
Hand instrument technique
• (1) modified pen grasp.
• (2) inverted pen grasp.
• (3) palm-and-thumb grasp.
• (4) modified palm-and-thumb
grasp.
The conventional pen grasp is not
an acceptable instrument grasp.
Conventional pen grasp
(1) modified pen grasp.
(2) inverted pen grasp.
(3) palm-and-thumb grasp.
(4) modified palm-and-
thumb grasp.
Sharpening Equipments
• Dull cutting edges lead to:
1. Pain.
2. Prolonged operating time.
3. Difficult to control.
4. Reduce quality of preparation.
• SO from time to time sharpening
instrument is necessary.
Sharpening equipments
1. Stationary sharpening stone: a
block of abrasive material
e.g.Arkansas stone.
2. Mechanical sharpener
3. Handpiece sharpening stone: e.g:
aluminum oxide stones mounted
with handpieces
Rotary Cutting
Instruments
Rotary Cutting Instruments
• Rotary cutting instruments are a
group of instruments that rotate
on an axis to achieve cutting,
abrading, burnishing, finishing &
polishing of tissue or restoration.
Rotary Cutting Instruments
• Instruments rotated in the
hand piece by power from an
external source, either
compressed air or more directly
by an electric motor.
1. The air-driven hand pieces.
2. The electric-motor driven hand
pieces.
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental hand pieces are divided according to
their speed range and uses into:-
1. Low/ slow speed: below 12.000 rpm
2. Medium / intermediate speed: 12.000-
200.000 rpm
3. High/ ultra high speed: more than
200.000 rpm
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs/ stones:
• The term bur is applied to all rotary
cutting instruments that have bladed
cutting heads.
• This includes instruments for tooth
preparation, finishing metal
restorations & surgical removal of
bone.
Dental burs:
• The dental bur composed of :
• Shank – Neck – Head.
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
shape
Classification
attachment
size
composition
use
Motion
Length of head
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to mode of attachment
• Latch type
• Friction grip
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to composition
• Stainless steel
• Tungsten carbide
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to motion
• Right (rotates clockwise)
• Left (rotates anti-clockwise)
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to length of their head
• Long
• Short
• Regular
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to use
• Cutting
• Finishing or polishing
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to their shape
• Round
• Inverted cone
• Pear shaped
• Tapering fissure
• Straight fissure
Among these basic shapes variations are
possible.
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to their shape
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Dental Burs
Classification
1.According to their size
Rotary Cutting Instruments
• Carbide burs VS Diamond Stone :
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Carbide burs VS Diamond Stone:
• Carbide burs produce lower heat.
They are effectively used for:
• Punch cuts to enter tooth structure.
• Amalgam removal.
• Small preparations
• Secondary retention features.
Rotary Cutting Instruments
Carbide burs VS Diamond Stone:
Diamond instruments have higher
hardness.
Diamonds are more effective than
carbide burs for:
• Both intracoronal and
extracoronal tooth preparations.
• Beveling enamel margins on tooth
preparations.
• Enameloplasty.
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