Can a resident dentist explain to me the uses for the various shapes of dental tools/picks?

I was just getting a cleaning the other day and wondered when one was being used vs. another and why, but obviously can't see the inside of my pie hole when they're in use to know the when and why.

There must dozens of different ones.

I am not a dentist but was married to a dental assistant for 25 years. There is the various types and sizes of picks and scrapers for the same reason you might have ten different types of pliers or screwdrivers. Each have their purpose and do the job better than the others and fit in just the right spot. I have a nice selection of them here at home. Next time you get your teeth cleaned you can get worn out tools from them if you ask nicely.

This one is perfect for removing an old O-Ring from the retaining groove:

Retired orthodontist here. I'll try to avoid dental terminology.

The typical set of hand instruments used by a hygienist are angled to reach the different surfaces of the teeth from the front. Think of a single tooth in the lower arch you have LF>LR>RR>RF (There are different dental terms for the directions, but it doesn't matter). Each of the curettes (scrapers) has a sharpened edge that will present itself to the tooth surface at the proper angle without coming in on it from the back of your throat. There are also periodontal probes that are graduated in mm to measure the depth of the pockets along the gums and expolorers that have fine tips for detecting soft spots/cavities.

Of course, there are many other types used for preparing a tooth for a filling, crown, etc. Too many to discuss here.

Thanks, MNSIG. That makes a lot of sense.

If you're bored, could you explain when you'd use the various curettes in this picture? (I don't mind technical terminology at all.)

Dental tools are also some of hte best tools for micro-miniature
soldering too.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
This one is perfect for removing an old O-Ring from the retaining groove:

Years ago I had a dentist for a customer, working on his old cars.
He gave me a collection of those that were worn from his office. I still have several and yes they work well for that purpose and many others, depending on the shape.

Don't forget the shtickel of fluoride....