Anesthetic Syringes, Football Burnishers, and Discoid-Cleoid Carvers are all important, but they aren’t the “standard” dental instruments you’ll come across during routine checkups and cleanings. As with most things, it’s a good idea to start with the basics and build your knowledge from there. With this in mind, keep reading to learn a few dental tools you’ll need to be familiar with as a dental assistant!

Patient Bib & Bib Holder

After greeting your patient, welcoming them to the treatment room, and easing any worries they have, you’ll need to place a bib on them. This is designed to prevent everything from saliva to debris from getting all over their clothes. To hold it securely in place, you’ll use a bib holder, which may have disposable, adhesive, or non-disposable clips.

Dental Tray

Starting from the bottom, the first tool you’ll need to be familiar with is a dental tray. This is a dedicated area for the instruments the dentist will use to conduct preventive, restorative, cosmetic, or emergency treatment. As a result, they are often differentiated as hygiene trays, operative trays, surgical trays, etc.

Mouth Mirror

This dental tool is one of the most well-known ones. Typically about the size of a pen, this instrument is silver and has a small, circular mirror at one end. It’s often used to reflect light in the mouth, look at difficult-to-see areas, and retract the lips, cheeks, or tongue.

Explorers

Explorers are easy to pinpoint because of their unique pointy tips. Most often, they are used to examine teeth for anomalies like decay, calculus, or furcation.

Cotton Rolls

This dental “instrument” is just what it sounds like! These rolls of cotton help absorb saliva and act as a protective barrier.

Low-Velocity Saliva Evacuation (LVE)

To help prevent the patient from swallowing saliva and other liquids during the treatment process, a Low-Velocity Saliva Evacuation (LVE) is used. Designed for single use, this plastic instrument can be kept straight for specific suction or curved and hung over the patient’s mouth for continual suction. Note: when large volumes of fluid need to be removed, a High-Velocity Saliva Evacuation (HVE) is used instead!

Air/Water Syringe Tip

No list of “basic” dental instruments would be complete without the air/water syringe tip. This tool was created to rinse and dry specific teeth, and the disposable plastic is designed for single use.

About the Practice

If you’re in the Worcester area and are interested in a career in the dental field, our team at NE Dental Academy would love to help! In addition to offering an accredited program, we provide valuable hands-on training and help with job placement as well. So, if you’re ready to take the next step toward a fruitful and fulfilling career, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call (508) 425-6644.