- Dentistry, General

Importance of Modern Dental Instruments in Dentistry

Dental instruments are a critical component of a dentist’s practice. Once they complete their formal education they begin their practice. Dental treatment involves the use of a variety of sophisticated instruments and equipment from a reputable dental supplier who can deliver quality products and service. These enable the dentist to accomplish their procedures in a precise and accurate manner.

A tool for every task

Each instrument used by the dentist has a specific purpose and value and is used for carrying out one or more tasks. Some instruments are indispensable as no other tool can do the same thing efficiently. Different specializations of dentistry use different types of instruments although all dental clinics have the same general equipment and instruments like the radiography machine, the dentist’s chair, mouth mirrors, probes, tweezers, dental drills, mandrels, burs, suction equipment to remove saliva, disposable gloves, masks, bibs, rubber dams and cotton wads, to name just a few.

Catering to a wide range of dental treatments

A dentist insists upon the best quality dental instruments made of the highest grade steel so that they, in turn, can deliver the best treatment to their patients through a number of procedures ranging from just cleaning the teeth to extractions, filling tooth cavities with dental material, performing root canals with endodontics, tooth extractions, restorative treatment, aligning teeth with orthodontics, fixing appropriate braces and more, besides the various procedures used in cosmetic surgery to improve the patient’s smile.

Dental instruments are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and features depending on their use. Some have sharp tips to examine the teeth to identify holes, fissures and cavities. They help the dentist to diagnose the health of the teeth and gums and in many instances, prevent tooth decay or arrest the worsening of gum disease and relieve severe pain. When a tooth is decayed beyond repair, the dentist recommends extracting it and uses a special tool to do this. If the tooth can be saved, a root canal procedure is performed where the endodontics specialist removes the nerve and pulp, cleans the inside of the tooth and seals it. This relieves the pain while saving the tooth from further damage. If the tooth is allowed to decay, it develops an infection which can lead to painful consequences besides affecting overall health.

Sterilization equipment – a vital aspect of dental practice

Another critical piece of dental equipment is that used for sterilizing instruments. Sterilization of tools like detectors, mouth mirrors, elevators, dental scalpels, blades and tips is done using different methods like saturated steam, steam and chemicals, Iodophors to minimize staining, disinfection and sterilization with chemicals and pre vacuum steam autoclaving. Each has its own advantages and method of working. Proper sterilization is critical to avoiding the transmission of bacteria borne via the saliva and minimizing infections.

Dental suppliers understand the importance of dental instruments and strive to carry the best and widest product range possible. For equipment and precision dental instruments that are very expensive, they also assist in arranging financing to buy these items.