Dental Instruments

There are some pretty cool instruments in a dental office. There are also some that people may be uncomfortable with. In order to help our patients’ cleanings go smoothly, we at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s office wanted to explain what some of the most frequently used ones are for.

The two instruments patients will see us use the most are the handheld mirror and the explorer. Also known as a probe, explorers are hooked instruments that are used to assess the hardness of enamel and to break up small bits of tartar. There are many differently shaped hooks for reaching different surfaces of different teeth. Some, called scalers, are used to remove tartar from gum pockets after they’ve been probed to check for infection.

We also commonly use instruments that are for constructing and placing fillings. A drill is used to remove infected tooth enamel after the patient has been numbed. White composite filling material can then be mixed on a small spatula and applied with a burnisher, which is a blunt instrument used to contour fillings. If a tooth is broken or needs to be extracted for any other reason, we can loosen it with an elevator, which is shaped like a small, narrow spoon, before pulling it with forceps.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.