Practice and Facility Setups

Chapter 4

prosthodontist

replaces missing teeth with artificial appliances such as dental crowns, full mouth dentures, or partial bridgework

periodontist

treats diseases of periodontal tissues

orthodontist

corrects malocclusion and improper jaw alignment

pediatric dentist

performs dental procedures for the child patient; also called pedodontist

endodontist

treats the diseased pulp and periradicular structures

oral and maxillofacial surgeon

performs surgical treatments of the teeth, jaws, and related areas

public health dentist

works on causes and preventions of common dental diseases and promotes dental health to the community or general population

oral pathologist

studies the nature, diagnosis, and control of oral diseases

oral and maxillofacial radiologist

concerned with the production and interpretation of radiant energy images or data regarding the oral and maxillofacial regions

forensic dentist

discovers and uses pathological evidence for legal proceedings; forensic dentistry is not yet established as a recognized specialty but is organized and related to a particular type of dental care

american dental association (ada)

official organization of dentists and dental specialists

registered dental hygienist (rdh)

completes postsecondary education in dental hygiene instruction; concerned with the prevention of dental disease, specializing in the cleaning, polishing, and radiographing of teeth, periodontal treatment, fluoride and sealant application, and patient education

adhp

advanced dental hygiene practitioner or dental therapist

adha

american dental hygienist association

dental assistant

aids the dentist in diagnosis, treatment, dental care, and general duties

rda

state registered dental assistant

cda

nationally certified dental assistant

rdaef

state registered dental assistant with expanded functions

danb

dental assisting national board

coa

certified orthodontic assistant

ice

infection control

rhs

radiation health and safety

american dental assistants association (adaa)

official dental assistant organization

dental laboratory technician

performs dental lab procedures under written orders from a licensed dentist; the technician may receive on the job training(ojt) or be educated in a laboratory or school setting

certified dental technician

cdt

nadl

national association of dental laboratories

denturist

independently specializes in the construction of dentures and may practice only in those states that recognize, license, and permit this profession

solo

dental practice owned and operated by a single dentist or a practice that is owned by a dentist who contracts with another dentist(associate) to work in the establishment with the owner

partnership

dental practice owned and operated equally by two or more dentists

group

dental practice employing a multitude of dentists; may be incorporated and owned by the working dentists or owned and operated by an outside corporation or dental health plan

clinics and hospitals

a clinic setting or hospital care center that offers dentistry services

specialty practice

various specialists work in private offices or facilities concerned with their training

miscellaneous practice sites

includes research, insurance companies, education, publication, specialty houses, employment and recruiting agencies, charity clinics, and other areas

shaft or handle

used to grasp the instrument; supplied in various weights, diameters, and surfaces that may be smooth, padded, grooved, or serrated; may be rounded, octogonal, plastic or metal with manufacturer's name and/or formula code etched on one side

shank

connects the handle to the working end; sometimes called the instrument neck; may be straight, curved, or angled

working end

also called blade or nib; rounded end is the toe; the pointed end is the tip, which may be beveled, curved, scooped, or spoon shaped and present on both ends

armamentarium

a setup

mouth mirror

used for reflection, retraction, and visual observation; supplied in various sizes from 1 (16mm) to 6 (26mm) and may have one side or double sided plain faces or faces that magnify the view; some are one piece, and others have cone screw in handles

explorer

a sharp, flexible, pointed instrument used to detect caries and calculus; to explore restorations, surfaces, and furcations; to make location marks; to pick up cotton points or material

cotton forceps

tweezer like pinchers used to transport materials to or from the mouth; also called dressing pliers

periodontal probe

a longer pointed instrument with measured marks on the tip; used to assess depths of tissue pockets

expro

double-ended instrument with a diagnosing probe tip at one end and an explorer tip at the other end

scaler

thin-bladed hand instrument with pointed tip and two cutting edges; used to scale or scrape off supragingival hard deposits from teeth

sickle scaler

sharp blade in the shape of a sickle; used to remove calculus from tooth surfaces

scallette

hygiene instrument combining a scaler on one tip and a curette on the other tip to save time and tray space during treatment

curette

rounded tipped thin blade with a longer neck and two cutting edges; designed for a specific tooth area and used to remove subgingival deposits

implant scaler/curette

nonmetallic, resin-tipped instrument, designed to remove deposits around titanium implant abutments

periodontal file

hand instrument with rough edge of teeth working surface; used to smooth in root planting

periodontal knife

hand instrument with flat bladed incision tip of various shapes and angles; used to remove recontour soft tissue

scalpel

handle for attachment of blades of assorted sizes and shapes, used to incise(cut into) or remove tissue

excavator

hand instrument with long necked, cup like, sharp edged blades; used to remove soft decayed tissue from preparations; also may be called spoon excavators

gingival margin trimmer

hand instrument with long, slender, curved, flat blade; used to break away enamel margins during tooth preparations and smooth or refine the cavity preparation

hoe

smaller bladed instrument with a tip resembling a farm hoe; used to break or pull away enamel tissue during preparations

hatchet

hand instrument with a sharp edged hatchet like tip; used to remove hard tissue

chisel

hand instrument with cutting edge that is used to cut and plane away enamel and dentin; chisels have straight shanks, or a curved shank

cleoid/ discoid carver

double ended, long necked, carving instrument with a pointed tip on one end (cleoid) and a disc shaped blade on the other end (discoid); used to carve anatomy features in newly placed restorations or can be used to remove decay and tooth tissue during cavity preparations

carver

thin bladed hand instrument used to remove decay or carve newly placed restorative material; come in various shapes

plastic filling instrument (pfi)

hand instrument with a flat blade; used to carry, transfer, and pack materials, or to carve restorative material while it is still in a movable or plastic stage

condenser

hand instrument with a thick, rounded, or oval shaped flat head that is sometimes serrated; used to pack or condense restorative material into the cavity restoration

burnisher

hand instrument with a smooth rounded head that comes in various shapes; used to smooth out restorative material or other metal surfaces such as matrix strip

amalgam carrier

hand instrument with holding cylinder for the transfer of amalgam material while in plastic form; it has a spring level pusher to expel the material into the preparation

amalgam well

both amalgam carriers can be loaded by pressing the plastic lobe of restorative material into the amalgam well

matrix holder, matrix strip, and wedge

holder device used to maintain artificial wall (matrix strip) around the tooth preparation

loupes

though are not considered an instrument, eye loupes are glasses used for magnification, precision, and identification purposes, and are required in many procedures; may have light sources and a splash side

high volume evacuator (hve)

curved metal or resin, beveled tip with a large hole, inserted into a high evacuation tube system handle with off/on and intensity controls; used for gross removal of fluids and debris from the mouth

saliva ejector tip

smaller suction tip that is inserted into the evacuation tubing from the dental unit; used for a steady, constant fluid removal from the oral cavity

cuspidor

(basin) for patients to empty their mouths

contra-angle handpiece (cahp)

handpiece with an obtuse angled head; inserted into the power units straight handpiece and is used to gain access to posterior teeth and difficult areas

right-angle handpiece (rahp)

handpiece with the head at 90 degrees; inserted and connects into the power units handpiece

prophy angle handpiece (php)

small prophylaxis handpiece rotary angle with a 90 degree head; has a limited opening in the working end for polishing cups or brush placement; used to polish teeth; some are disposable and some are battery powered with swivel heads and optic light sources

fiber-optic handpiece

specific slow or high-speed handpiece that supplies a light source to the operative site for improved vision

rheostat

foot pedal or lever that is used to regulate the speed of the handpiece

delivery system

other instruments that are handheld can be attached to the specialized mobile stand or movable over the patient tray

air abrasion

air powered handpiece delivering abrasive aluminum oxide powder or sodium bicarbonate under force to clean or prepare tooth surfaces or remove some carious tissue

ultrasonic handpiece

high speed vibration scaling tips used for scaling and curettage purposes; sometimes called ultrasonic scaler

curing light handpiece

handheld device that focuses a light beam to cure or set specific materials

intraoral camera

handpiece with a small camera situated in the head; used to transmit various views of the oral setting

electrosurgery handpiece

combination of assorted metal tips that fit into a probe handle; these tips pass electrical currents that incise and coagulate the blood in a surgical procedure

laser handpiece

photon handpiece that emits a precise light energy wavelength that is concentrated to perform specialized tasks; various wavelengths are utilized for a specific target or procedure, such as tooth whitening, caries removal, or surgical gingivectomy

caries detection scanner

a noninvasive laser scan that detects early decay in occlusal areas

implant drilling unit

lighted, digitally controlled drilling handpiece with sterile irrigation that is used to smooth areolar bone, drill operative sites, and install implants

shank

the end of the bur that is inserted into the handpiece; the type of end is determined by the requirements of the power handpiece; length varies according to the type of bur or area involved

fg

friction grip

ra

right angle

hp

handpiece

neck

connecting area between the shank and the working end or head of the bur

working end or head

end that cuts tissue or works on the tooth or material involved; each shape or type is designed for a specific person or position

dentated

(dented, depressed) burs that have extra teeth in a crosscut pattern

truncated

(cut part off, lop off) shortened burs

friction grip bur

smooth ended bur, held in the handpiece by the friction grip chuck inside the handpiece head

latch-type bur

has grooved insertion bur end that hooks and locks into the head of a latch type handpiece

straight handpiece

has a smooth, extended shaft that fits directly into the straight handpiece; available in mini, regular, or surgical lengths

mandrel

a slim, metal holding device that fits into slow handpieces and is used to smooth and cut; hold abrasive and rubber discs by a screw on or snap on method; may have ra or hp end fittings and come in various lengths

joe dandy

thick, carborundum disc, is very popular

stone, wheel, and discs

abrasive or chemically treated discs, wheels, cups, and points with various shapes that can be permanently mounted or glued on a shaft or placed on discs or mandrels; used for smoothing ay chairside or in the lab

grit

abrasiveness

diamond rotary instruments

pulverized industrial diamonds glued on a shaft or disc and commonly called burs or points; they are used to cut, smooth, and rapidly reduce tissues; they follow the same numbering pattern and color coding as steel burs

bur block

a tray device used to hold the small rotary instruments during use at the chair and while being sterilized; may be metallic or resin and may or may not have a cover

operatory

small treatment room equipped with dental appliances

dental chair

chair appliance, usually electrically powered, that raises, lowers, and tilts to provide easy access and proper vision; may be a lounge or upright chair style; most chairs are operated by remote foot controls to eliminate hand use and contamination