Dental Diagnostic Instruments: Why Do Dentists Need Them?

Why do we visit the dentist in the very first place? Why cannot we examine or treat our dental problems on our own?

The truth is if you want to get long-term relief from your dental problems so visiting a dentist is a must. Since we all are aware of the fact that poor oral hygiene and binge junk eating play a significant role in tooth decay.  Above all delaying, the dental treatments make it even worse. Therefore, it is recommended to see the dentist as early as possible. They are not only fully equipped with the latest diagnostic dental instruments but also give proper medical advice to their patients. Or else the writing is on the wall.

So, what are you thinking of?

If you want a solution to all your dental problems, it’s not too late to take the decision. No doubt the dental examination tools provide surgeons valuable insights into the patient’s oral cavity. Thus, it helps dentists to make an informed decisions and provide safe treatment to their patients.

Sounds pretty awesome!

Importance Of Dental Diagnostic Instruments

Imagine a scenario. You are an ace driver. But here is the catch. You don’t have a car. It means that your expertise and skills are no good if you don’t own a car.

In the same way, an expert dentist without dental instruments is unable to give his best shot. One way or the other the dentists are totally dependent on surgical tools. They not only assist them in amazing ways but also provides smooth and pain-free treatment to their patients. Hence, dental examination tools are a must-have for carrying out a successful dental examination.

Moreover, the moment you explore the dental world you will come across a plethora of dental instruments. But, in this blog, we will discuss the commonly used dental examination tools.

So, let us get started!

Basic Dental Surgical Instruments

Have you ever noticed a dental tray? Can you recall a few of the dental examination tools?

OK. Let us crack this together.

Whether it’s the dental assistant or the dental hygienist, the name, type, and function of each of the dental tools are at their fingertips. They can’t miss out on any of them. So, let us have a quick look at the following dental diagnostic instruments:

Mouth Mirror

It is one of the most important instruments in the dental examination kit. The main purpose of the mouth mirror is to enhance visibility and access to difficult to reach oral regions. They are available in different sizes and shapes. The basic design consists of a round mirror, shank, and handle. And it provides the following uses to the dentists:

• Helps to examine the dark oral cavity regions by reflecting light onto desired surfaces
• Provides a clear image of the hidden tooth while fixing the cavities
• It prevents injury during cheek and tongue retraction
• Provides a perfect view for diagnostic purposes
• Easy access into the hidden areas 
• It retracts and protects the soft tissue
• Small-sized mirrors provide a precise image of small structures in the oral cavity

Thus, dental mirrors are a vital part of diagnostic kits. They help in examining tooth cavities, decay and infection.

Dental probe

Do you know who first described the periodontal probe as the diagnostic instrument in 1882?

John M Riggs is an eminent name in the treatment of periodontal diseases.

The periodontal probe is a slender instrument used to detect the depth of the tooth pocket and gingival sulcus.   It is like a ruler with markings in millimeters. The markings are used for accurate readability. Researchers have also named the periodontal probe as the eye of the operator behind the gingival margin. Certainly, it offers a wide range of benefits in oral examination. So, let us discuss a few of the following:

• Examines the tooth surfaces
• It detects dental caries at an initial stage
• Checks the health of the bone and gingiva surrounding the tooth
•  It is used for the exploration and detection of periodontal infection and injury
• Detects and measures the sulcus of the tooth
• Evaluate areas of inflammation
• It also examines the ongoing disease
• It detects the results of the treatment 
• Finds out  the width of the attached gingiva
• Detects the presence of various oral diseases
• Measures the size of oral lesions

Factors That Affect  Probing

• Design of the probe
• Positioning of the probe
• The direction of the probe
• Pocket depth
• Tissue inflammation

Therefore, it measures the depth of the pocket groove by placing the dental probe under the gumline at different sites. For a healthy mouth, the pocket depth is between 1 and 3 mm. If the pocket depth is deeper than 4mm so it is an indication of gums disease.

Dental Explorers

As the name suggests it helps dentists to explore and properly examine the oral cavity. It is a handheld tool used for detecting cavities, plaque, and tooth decay. Moreover, it is also used to detect the situation of dental bridges, dental crowns, and fillings. The sharp end of the instrument helps to detect hard tissue defects with tactile sensation. Moreover, it is also used for the following purposes:

• It detects the tooth irregularities like tooth decay and plaque
• Examines the lesions and fractures in the oral cavity
• It also assesses the dental restorations

Care and Handling of Surgical Examination Instruments

There is no denying the fact that dental examination tools are of utmost importance. They provide top-notch assistance to dentists in remarkable ways. Moreover, they are an essential part of any dental tray. Since these instruments are frequently used in the examination of the oral cavity. Therefore, it requires regular sterilization before and after usage. Or else it will cost millions of lives.

Therefore, the cleaning and sterilization of dental tools are of paramount importance. And we can’t overlook this aspect at any cost. The process of sterilization ensures the killing of all forms of fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Thus, it prevents the transmission of diseases and germs to the patients. Hence, it is a win-win situation for both the patients and the medical professionals.

So, let us take a look at the following processes:

1. Rinsing: For reusable surgical tools they must be thoroughly rinsed with hot water to ensure the removal of any blood or other fluids impurities.
2. Disinfecting: For the removal of proteins on the surgical tools they must be soaked under the enzymatic solution. In the case of cleaning the stainless steel instruments, bleach or similar chemicals can be used.
3. Cleaning: This process is completed in the following ways:

• Manual cleaning
• Ultrasonic cleaning
• Automatic washing sterilization

    4. Autoclaving: It is a physical method for killing germs, microorganisms, and spores at   high temperatures

5. Cold sterilization: This is the final step in cleaning the surgical instruments. Since it is quite time-consuming therefore proper guidelines must be followed to carry out this procedure.

Therefore, the above-mentioned dental diagnostic instruments are a vital part of any dental kit. These dental instruments help the surgeon in quick examination and detection of oral diseases. Moreover, these tools are available in a wide variety to assist dentists in various dental procedures. Hence, if you are looking for high-quality stainless surgical tools so GerDentUSA is the best. The top-notch quality of our dental examination tools sets us apart from the rest. Hence, we are a trusted name in providing innovative and reliable dental diagnostic instrument sets.

read more: Ravi Barot