This document defines and classifies dental instruments and equipment. It discusses the materials used to manufacture instruments, such as carbon steel, stainless steel and carbide inserts. Instruments are classified based on usage into exploratory, cutting, and non-cutting restorative instruments. Exploratory instruments include mirrors, probes and tweezers. Cutting instruments comprise excavators, chisels and burs. Non-cutting instruments involve spatulas, carriers, condensers and carvers. The document also describes instrument parts, designs, nomenclature and recommended grasps.

1. INSTRUMENTS & EQUIPMENTS

2. Definition
Instruments:
Small hand held
devices that are
used for various
procedures while
treating a patient.
E.g. Mouth
mirrors, probes,
dressing pliers
and condensers.

3. Equipments:
Larger devices
that help the
clinician while
treating a
patient.
E.g.dental
chair,operating
stool,amalgamat
or, X-ray unit.

4. Materials used for
manufacturing
instruments.
1. Carbon steel:
• they contain
0.5-1.5%
carbon .
• They are harder
and sharper
than stainless
steel, but tend
to corrode and
are prone for
fracture.

5. 2.Stainless steel
a) Pure stainless steel
• they are alloys composed
of 70-85% iron, 15-25%
chromium & 1-2% carbon.
Most commonly used
material for making dental
instruments. They tend to
lose their sharpness due to
its repeated use.
b) Stainless steel with
teflon/titanium nitride coating
• This type of instruments are
specially used for
placement and handling of
dental composites.
• Main advantage : composite
does not stick to this
coating and make
placement of composites
simplified.

6. 3) Carbide inserts:
Some instruments are
made with carbide
inserts to provide more
durable cutting edges.
4) Others:
Other alloys of titanium,
nickel,cobalt,chromium
are used in
manufacturing of hand
instruments.

7. Classification of Operative dental
Instruments.
Instruments are classified into 2
categories :
1) Hand Instruments:
Instruments which are used
manually.
2) Rotary Instruments :
Instruments which are engine-
driven.

8. Sturdevant classification

9. GV Black’s Classification

11. Parts of Hand
cutting
instruments:
Hand cutting
instruments are
made up of three
parts:
1) Handle/shaft
2) Shank
3) Blade

12. Shank
It connects the handle to blade . It is
smooth , round and tapers from handle to
blade .generally shanks have one or more
bend angles .

13. Based on shank angles GV Black clalssified
hand cutting instruments:
A) Straight: No angles in the shank
B) Monangle: One angle in the shank
C) Bin-angle: Two angles in the shank D) Triple-angle: three angles in shank

14. Blade
It is the working end of the hand cutting
instrument. It is connected to handle by the
means of shank. It ends in the cutting edge.
a)Cutting edge: Edge of blade mainly for cutting
action.
b)Blade angle : angle between long axis of blade
and shaft
c)Cutting edge angle : angle between margin of
cutting edge and long axis of shaft.

15. INSTRUMENT
NOMENCLATURE

16. According to G.V. Black,
Instruments can be named as……..
1.Order: Purpose or Function of instrument . Eg, Excavator
2.Sub-order: Position or Manner of Use of instrument. Eg, pull and
push
3.Class: Form of working end of instrument. Eg, Chisel, Hatchet
4. Sub-class: Shape of the shank. Eg, Bin-angle
Combining all these points, the Instruments can be named.
Naming- usually moves from 4 to 1

17. Example……
Bin-angle hatchet push excavator.
Generally sub-order is not useful and thus
omitted.
Thus, named as Bin-angle hatchet excavator
Bin angle- Shank angle
hatchet- Working end
excavator- Purpose

21. INSTRUMENT
DESIGNS

22. 1. DIRECT CUTTING AND LATERAL
CUTTING INSTRUMENTS
1. Direct Cutting Instruments:
• The force is aplied in same plane as that of the
blade and handle.
• Uses:For both direct and lateral cutting.

23. 2.Lateral cutting Instruments:
• The force is applied at a right angle to the
plane of the blade and the handle.
• Usually have a curved blade
• Uses:Only in lateral cutting

25. 2.INSTRUMENT ENDS
1. Single-Ended:
• Working end is confined to only one side of
the instrument.
2.Double-Ended:
• Working end is present on both the sides of
the instrument.

26. 3.CUTTING INSTRUMENT BEVELS
1. Single-Bevelled Instruments
• Have a single bevel the forms the primary
cutting edge at the end of the blade
• Can be either
(i)Right or left bevelled.Eg: Enamel Hatchets
(ii)Mesial or distal bevelled instruments.Eg:
Binangle chisel,Wedelstaedt chisel,Hoes)

27. 2.BiBevelled Instruments
• Only hatchets and straight chisels are
bibevelled
• They cut by pushing them in the direction of
the long axis of the blade.

28. 3.Triple-Bevelled instruments
• Bevelling the blade at the working end along
with the blade,laterally makes them into a
triple-bevelled instrument.
• Results in three distinct cutting edges.
• This increases the cutting efficiency.

29. 3. Circumferentially-Bevelled instruments:
• This is produced by bevelling the blade at all
its peripheries.
• Eg:A spoon excavator.

30. CLASSIFICATION
OF INSTRUMENTS
BASED ON THEIR
USAGE

31. • Instruments are broadly classified into:
1. Exploratory instruments
• Mouth mirror
• Explorer
• Probes
• Dressing pliers.
2.Cutting instruments
• Excavators
• Chisels
• Special Chisels

32. 3.Noncutting restorative instruments
• Cement spatulas
• Plastic filling instruments
• Amalgam carriers
• Condensers
• Carvers
• Burnishers

33. Exploratory
Instruments

34. • MOUTH MIRROR
1. Has a handle,a shank,and a mirror attached
to a round metal disc at one end.

41. • A bright light can illuminate
the translucent tooth
structure.
•Helps to reveal changes in
tooth color,the presence of
cracks and fractures as well
as other defects.

42. Types of Mirrors:
• Plane Mirrors:Provides distoration-free
images.
• (Most commonly used).
• Concave Mirrors
• Front-surface Mirrors
• One-sided Mirrors
• Twin-sided Mirrors

43. EXPLORERS

44. 2.Most used common explorers are:

45. Straight explorer: Has a mild curvature near the
exploring tip.
Uses:To examine the occlusal surfaces of teeth for
caries and margins of restorations for any
irregularities.

46. Arch explorer(Shepherd’s hook):Has a semi
circle or an arch shaped working end with the exploring tip
at right angle to the handle.
Uses:For examination of dental caries and irregular
margins of the restoration.
For supragingival examination of caries and irregular
restoration

47. • Interproximal explorer(Briault’s probe):The shank has
two or more angles and the exploring tip pointed towards the
handle.
• Uses:
1. Detecting proximal various lesions.
2. Accessing marginal fit of restorations.
3. Removing excess restorative material,while shaping the
occlusal measure in proximal cavities.

48. Periodontal Probe

49. • Periodontal Probes
1. Similar to explorers but working tip is blunt and marked with
graduations.

50. Locking Plier (COTTON TWEEZERS)

51. • COTTON TWEEZERS /Locking plier
1. Have angled tips.
Uses:1.To place and remove cotton rolls used
for isolation of teeth.
2.To carry small items like cotton pellets to dry
the teeth.
2.Are available in different sizes to suit different
needs.

52. Cutting
Instruments

53. • EXCAVATORS
1. These Instruments are designed to
excavate and remove carious dentin and to
shape the internal parts of cavities.
2.Types: a)Hatchet excavator
b)Hoe excavator
c) Spoon excavator

54. A)Hatchet excavator:
• Aka ordinary hatchet or the bi-beveled
hatchet.
• The cutting edge of the blade is in the same
plane as the long axis of the handle and is
bi-bevelled.
• Applications:To sharpen the internal angles
and prepare retentive areas for direct filing
gold restorations in the anterior teeth

55. Hatchet excavator

56. B)Hoe excavator
• Has primary cutting edge of the blade
perpendicular to the long axis of the handle.
• Applications:For planning cavity walls and
forming line angles in Cl III and Cl V cavity
preprations for direct filling gold restorations.
Commonly used to plane the pulpal floor in
amalgam cavity preparation

57. Hoe Excavators

58. C)Spoon excavator
• A spoon excavator is a double-planed
instrument and is usually paired.
• Has a semi circular cutting edge.
• Blades are slightly curved and shanks may be
biangled or triple angled to facilitate
accessibility.
• Uses:For scooping out carious dentin.
Also for carving amalgam or direct inlay wax
patterns.

59. Spoon excavator

60. Applications: All these types are used to
cleave or split undermined Enamel
•Chisel:

61. Chisels

62. • Special Chisels
1. Enamel hatchet:
• Single-planed paired instruments(Right & left
types)
• They can be Binangled,triple-angled,or parallel
with the shaft.
• They are single-planed and used with push/pull
vertical movements.
• It is beveled on one side.
• Uses:To cut or cleave undermined Enamel in
proximal cavities and on buccal or lingual walls.

63. Enamel Hatchet

64. 2.Gingival Marginal Trimmer:

65. 2.Gingival Margin Trimmer:
• This is a paired double-planed instrument.
• GMT is similar in design to the enamel
hatchet, except that the blade is curved and
the bevel for the cutting edge at the end of
the blade is always on the outside of the
curve with the face of the instrument being
on the inside of the curve.

66. It is available as double-ended mesial and distal
pair instrument with each one having a (Right &
left end for use).
Mesial gingival marginal trimmer: The cutting
edge of these instruments makes an acute
angle with the edge of the blade nearer to the
handle.
Distal gingival marginal trimmer:The cutting
edge makes an acute angle with the edge of
the blade furthest from the handle.

67. Distal GMT
Mesial GMT

68. •The GMT’s are designed to
produce:
1. Proper bevel on gingival enamel
margins of the proximoocclusal
preparations.
2.Rounding or bevelling of the
axiopulpal line angle in Cl II cavity
preparation.

69. •Uses

70. •They are used in a lateral scraping
motion.
•They are used for creating the proper
bevel of the gingival floors and also for
forming sharp angles in internal parts of
cavity preparations.
•Used for planning gingival cavosurface
margin that is removal of unsupported
enamel and to bevel axiopulpal line
angle in Cl II tooth preparation.
Uses:

71. Noncutting
restorative
instruments

72. 1.Cement Spatulas:
• Have flat and wide nib with blunt or pointed
edges.
• May be single or double ended Instruments.
• Stainless steel spatulas are employed for
mixing zinc phosphate and zinc
polycarboxylate cements while plastic spatulas
are used to mix Glass Ionomer Cements(GIC).
• Uses:To mix dental cements on a glass slab or
paper pad.

73. Cement Spatulas

74. 2. Plastic filling instruments
• Called “Cement carriers” as they are used to carry
the mixed Cement into the prepared cavity.
• They are double-ended having a flat nib with
blunt edges on each end,one at 90 degrees to the
other.
• Some plastic instruments have a flat nib on one
end and a condenser nib on the other end.
• They are usually made of stainless steel.
• Plastic or teflon coated plastic filing instruments
are used to place composite resins.

75. Plastic Filling instruments

76. 3.Amalgam carriers
• Have hollow cylinder into which triturated dental
amalgam can be loaded.
• A plunger operated with a finger lever pushes the
amalgam out of the carrier into the prepared cavity.
• Uses:To insert mixed amalgam into the prepared cavity.
To carry some of the packable composite resins,
carriers with plastic cylinders are used so that the resin
material can be delivered easily into the cavity
preparation without sticking to the internal walls of the
cylinder.

77. Amalgam Carriers

78. 4.Condensers
• Available as hand or mechanical instruments.
• Presently only hand condensers are used.
• Nibs of condensers may be round,
rectangular,parallelogram etc and they are of different
sizes.
• Amalgam condensers Have smooth faces while direct
gold condensers have serrations on their faces.
• Uses:To compact/condense amalgam,direct gold or
composite resins into the prepared cavity.
• Used to push GIC or resin composite into the prepared
cavity.

79. Condensers
Round condensers
Used in Cl 1 and Cl 2.Flat
faced round condenser
allow maximum
condensation pressure.
Rectangular condensers
Parallelogram condensers
Used to condense amalgam in narrow
cavities like MO and DO IN Cl 2.
Angular faces provide convience in
buccal and lingual surfaces.

80. 5.Carvers
• Are used to shape/carve amalgam and resin composite
restoration.The sharp end is used for carving the
occlusal anatomy like grooves and marginal ridge.
1. Hollenbeck Carver
• Double-ended Binangled instrument, which is used to
remove excess amalgam and shape amalgam to the
natural tooth contour.
• It is also used for carving inlay wax during fabrication of
inlays.

81. 2.Wards carver:
Is double ended,round
handle dental
instrument ,used for
placing ,carving and
contouring amalgam.

82. 3.Diamond carver or Frahm’s carver:
• Bibevelled cutting edges used primarily for
occlusal carving of amalgam restorations.

83. 4.Cleoid-discoid carver:
• Also used primarily for occlusal carving of amalgam
restorations
5.Interproximal carver:
• It has very think blades and is valuable for carving
proximal amalgam surfaces near the interproximal
contact area

84. Interproximal carver:

85. 6.Burnishes
• Available in various shapes.
• The nibs may be ball-shaped,egg-
shaped,conical, beaver tail shaped etc.
• Uses:To make the surface of the restorations
smooth and shiny.
Also used to contour metal bands so as to
provide the desirable contours for the
restorations.

86. Burnishes (Ball and conical shaped
burnishes)

87. Instrument
Grasps

88. • Different instrument Grasps recommended
are:
1. Modified pen Grasp
2. Inverted pen Grasp
3. Palm and thumb Grasp
4. Modified palm and thumb Grasp

89. 1. Modified pen Grasp
• The grasp is similar to holding a pen while writing,with
slight variations.
• Here the pads of the thumb,index and middle fingers
contact the instrument.
• The tip of the ring finger rests on a near by tooth
surface for stability.
• The pad of the middle finger is near the “top side"of
the instrument for good control and cutting pressure.
The palm of the hand faces away from the operator.
• Uses: To allow precise control over the instrument.

91. 2.Inverted pen Grasp
• Similar to Modified pen Grasp except for that
the hand is rotated so that the palm faces
more toward the operator.
• Used: while working on the lingual aspect of
maxillary anterior teeth and occlusal aspect of
maxillary posterior teeth.

93. 3. Palm and thumb Grasp:
• The handle of the instrument is placed in the
palm of the hand and grasped by all the
fingers, while the thumb is used to rest on a
nearby tooth of the same arch for support
• Used for holding handpiece ,while cuttinng
incisal retention for Cl III CAVITY
PREPARATION.

95. 5.Modified palm and thumb Grasp
• The same as in palm and thumb grasp but the
thumb is rested on the tooth being prepared.
• Used in upper arch

96. • Rests
• Used to stabilize the working hand while
instrumentation and help in confining the
instrument to the working area.
• They help in preventing accidental injury due
to slippage of the instrument.
• Rests should be placed on teeth or bony
support and not on soft tissues.

98. Ring fingers
used as a test
on the
adjacent teeth

99. Ring finger used as a
test while using a
hand cutting
instrument with the
modified pen Grasp

101. Rotatory Cutting
instruments

102. Rotatory speed ranges
• Measured in revolution per min(rpm)
• As per Sturdevant Classified as:
1.Low or slow speed(<12000rpm)
2.Medium or intermediate speed (12000-
200000rpm)
3.High or ultra high speed (>200000rpm)

103. Uses of high speed range
1.Tooth preparation
2.Old restoration removal
• Other Advantages:
1.Diamond and carbide instruments for faster removal of
tooth structure with less pressure and heat.
2.No. of cutting instrument reduced –smaller size Universally
accepted.
3.Convenient for operator.
4.Long life of instrument.
5.Patients are less apprehensive.
6.Several teeth in same arch can be treated at same time.

104. Uses of low speed range
1.Carries excavation
2.Finishing and polishing procedures.

105. Evaluated in two parameters:
• Handpiece
• Rotatory bladed / cutting instrument

106. 1.Handpiece
It is defined as a device for holding rotating
instruments , transmitting power to them,and for
positioning them intraorally.
Can be motor or air driven .
• Two types :
1.Contra-angled handpiece
2.Straight Handpiece

107. Contra-Angled handpiece
Airotor Contra-Angled handpiece
Contra-Angled micromotor Handpiece

108. Airotor Contra-Angled handpiece
• High speed
• Compressed air driven and internal coolant
system
• Speed=100000-300000rpm
• Uses-cavity preparation and old restoration
removal
• Operates with friction grips burs and diamonds
• Recent advance -LED fixed.

109. Contra-Angled micromotor.
Handpiece• Slow speed
• Used in finishing and polishing
• Powered by airmotor or electrical micromotor

110. Straight handpiece
• Slow speed with less use in oral cavity
• Long axis of bur similar to that of Handpiece
• Used in preclinical works
• Attched to micromotor or airmotor

111. 2.rotatory-bladed/abrasive cutting
instruments
• Two types:
1.Dental burs (bladed)
2.Diamond points(abrasive)
• Though have great variation have common
design feature:
1.Shank
2.Neck
3.Head

112. Shank
• Part fits into handpiece
• Designs and dimensions varies with
handpiece
• 3 classes are Commonly used:

113. Straight Handpiece shank
• Shape – simple cylinder
• Held by metal Chuck that accept different
diameter
• Rarely used except caries excavation
• Used for polishing and finishing

114. Latch-type angle Handpiece shank
• Posterior portion is flattered inorder to fit
instrument into D-shaped socket
• Not retained bin handpiece by chuck
• Predominantly used at low and medium
speed Ranges

115. Friction-grip angle Handpiece
• For use with high speed handpiece
• Smaller in length
• Simple cylinderical
• Have metal chucks for Positive contact with
bur shank

116. Dental burs
• They are cutting instruments having Bladed
cutting heads that are used in handpiece.
• Made from:
1.Steel-Single piece if tungsten vanadium alloy
steel
2.Tungsten carbide- stainless steel shank welded to
tungsten carbide

117. Classification of burs
• Mode of attachment
1. Friction grip
2. Latch type
• Handpiece used
1. Slow speed contra-angle bur
2. Straight handpiece bur
3. Airotor bur
• Depending on shape
1. Round
2. Inverted cone
3. Straight fissure
4. Tapered fissure
5. Pear shaped

118. Diamond points
• Consist of inner blank with industrially crushed
diamonds of various grits are electroplated with nickel
• Consist of:
1. Metal blank
2. Powdered diamond Abrasive
3. Metallic bonding material
• Based on grit classified as:
1. Coarse grit(125-150microns)
2. Medium grit(88-125microns)
3. Fine grit (60-74microns)
4. Very fine grit(38-44microns)

119. • Grit size of diamond point is classified by the color
coded rin:g on its shank:
1.White-ultra fine
2.Yellow-extra fine
3.Red-fine
4.Blue –medium
5.Green -coarse
6.Black-extra coarse

120. Procedures for forming proper contact
and contours
Tooth movement Matrixing

121. 1. Tooth Movement
• It is the separation of involved teeth from each other,
bringing them closer , or changing their spatial position
in one or more dimensions.
There are two methods of tooth movement.
1. Rapid or immediate tooth movement
a. Wedge method
b. Traction method
2. Slower delayed tooth movement
a. Separating wires
b. Oversized temporaries
c. Orthodontics appliances

122. 2. Matrixing
• Matrixing is a procedure , whereby a temporary wall is created
opposite to axial walls and surrounding areas of tooth structure
that were lost during tooth preparation .
It should be immobile during the setting of the restorative
material and should not react with or adhere to it.
i. Matrix band : it is a piece of metal or polymeric material, which
is used to support and gives form to the restorative material in
recreating the lost contact and contour of the tooth structure .
ii. Matrix band retainer : It is a device by which the band can be
retained in its designated position and shape.

123. Classification of Matrix
1. Mode of retention
a. With retainer, e.g. Tofflemire matrix
b. Without retainer, e.g. Automatrix
2. Type of tooth preparation for which it is used
A. Matrix for class I tooth preparation
a. Double-banded tofflemire
B. Matrices for class II tooth preparation
a. Single-banded tofflemire
b. Ivory matrix no.1
c. Ivory matrix no.8
d. Copper band matrix
e. Anatomical matrix
f. Automatrix
g. S-shaped matrix band

124. C. Matrices for class III tooth preparation
a. Transparent plastic matrix strips
b. Mylar strips
c. S-shaped matrix
D. Matrices for class IV tooth preparation
a. Cellophane strips
b. Transparent crown from matrix
c. Anatomic matrix
d.Modified S-shaped band
E . Matrices for class V tooth preparation
a. Window matrix
b. S-shaped matrix
c. Cervical matrix

125. Description of various matrices
1. Ivory no. 1 matrix
• Used to restore one proximal
surface of posterior tooth.
• Available in various sizes.
• Matrix attached to retainer
via a wedge-shaped
projection.
• As the adjusted screw is
rotated, the wedge-shaped
projections engage the tooth
at the embrasures of the
proximal surface.

126. 2 Ivory no. 8 matrix
- Band encircles the
entire crown of the
tooth.
- Used for restoring
both the proximal
surfaces of the
posterior tooth.

127. 3. Tofflemire matrix retainer : Universal matrix
• It is also known as the universal matrix
•It is the most popularly used matrix system for restoring class II
amalgam restorations
•It consist of :
a. smaller outer nut : it helps in adjusting pointed spindle
to the locking vise. Used to tighten or loosen the spindle and
to hold the matrix band
b. larger inner nut : it adjust the loop size and change the
size of the matrix band
c. Rotating spindle : It adjust the distance between the head and
the guide slot

128. d. Frame : holds the parts of the matrix retainer together.
e. Guide slot : Diagonal slot where the matrix band is placed
and secured by the spindle.
f. Head : It is U shaped . It has a close and open end which
contain guide slot .
Types of tofflemire retainer are
1. Universal/straight
2. Contra-angle
3. Contra-angle junior

129. 4. Compound – supported matrix
• Custom-made matrix/anatomical matrix
• Employs 5/16 inch wide, 0.002 inch thick stainless steel
band cut to a length such that it wraps around the 1/3rd
of the facial and lingual side beyond the prepared
proximal side.
• Band is wedge and stabilized by applying softened
impression compound facially , lingually, and occlusally on
the adjacent tooth.

130. 5. T-band matrix
• preformed T-shaped
stainless steel matrix band
is used without a retainer.
• Long arm is bent to
surround the tooth and it
overlaps the short arm ,
which is then bent bent
over the long arm and
thus retains the shape
• Band is supported by
wedging and low –fusing
compound .

131. 6. Precontoured matrix
• Small ,dead soft metal
matrices in various sizes
are held in place by
flexible metal ring . It is
used for both amalgam
and composite restoration

132. 7. copper band matrix
• Various sizes are available
and are selected according
to the diameter of the
tooth.
• Used in badly broken
teeth
• Provides excellent contour,
but it is time-consuming .

133. 8. Automatrix
• Retainers matrix system
indicated for complex
amalgam restoration
• It is convenient to use,
but it is expensive

134. 9. Clear plastic matrix/mylar
strips
• These are matrices for
tooth-coloured restorations
, as they allow the light to
be transmitted during
polymerization of
composite resin.
• Band should extend at
least 1mm beyond the
gingival margin of the
cavity preparation .
• Stabilized by wooden or
light transmitting wedges.

135. 10. Cellophane strips
• Transparent strips thinner
than mylar strips can be
used for class V, class III ,
and class IV restorations.

136. 11. Transparent plastic
• crown form matrices
• Indicated for large class IV cavities and oblique
fractures of anterior teeth
• Available in various size
• Suitable crown form is selected to fit the tooth and
the cavity 1mm beyond the prepared margins .
• Crown form matrices are expensive .

137. 12. S-shaped band
• Indicated for class III restorations and class II slot
preparations
• It is difficult to apply

138. 13. Window matrix
• It is a modification of the
tofflemire matrix and it is
used for class V amalgam
restorations .
• A window is cut smaller
than a cavity and applied
around the tooth using
contra-angled tofflemire
retainer.

139. 14. Tin foil matrix
• Indicated for class V
restoration with glass
ionomer cements.
• Band is preshaped and
cut to extend 1mm beyond
cavity margins and peeled
after setting of the
restoration
• Not used for resin
cements

140. 15. Preformed transparent
cervical matrices
• Indicated for class V
restorations with
composite resin and resin
modified GICs
• It is available in various
contours.
• It has a knob , which
helps to hold the matrix
on to the tooth by a
tweezer

141. Separators

142. Elliot separators
• Mechanical device for active tooth separation.
• Immediate tooth separation by wedging
principle
• Have single bow with two jaws which can be
adjusted by knob

143. Ferrier Double Bow Seperator
• This device separates both the contacting
teeth by traction principle .
• It has two bows and jaws of each bow engages
the embrasures of contacting teeth and has a
wrench which turns the threaded bars to
create the necessary tooth separation .

144. Wedges

145. Types Of wedges
1. Wooden wedges
2. Plastic wedges
• Normal wedges
• Wave-shaped wedges
3.Light transmitting wedges

146. Wooden wedges
• Easy to trim,adapt well,& adopt moisture well to provide
stabilization.
• Ready made & custom-made wedges are available in different
shapes and sizes.
• Premier Sycamore wedges are shaped to impart physiologic
contour to matrix and are color coded.
• Approx 1/5 inch of tooth pick or a tongue blade is cut to form
custom made wedges.

147. Plastic wedges
1. Normal wedges
Similar to wooden wedges
2.Wave-Shaped Wedges
• Three size-small(white), medium (pink), large
(purple).
• Flexible tips for easy placement. Spring back to
seal both buccal and lingual embrasures
• Curved profile to protect gingiva from piercing.

148. Light transmitting Wedges
• Transparent wedges that transmit light into
proximal cavity region .
• Used to ensure polymerization of aesthetic
tooth-coloured composite restoration

149. FINISHING AND POLISHING
(MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS)

150. FINISHING: Removal of surface
irregularities by grinding or cutting
POLISHING: To produce perfectly
smooth and shiny surface by filling
scratches on surface

151. NATURAL ABRASIVES:
Arkansas stone
Chalk
Natural diamond
Garnet
Pumice
Quartz
Sand
Tripoli
Zirconium silicate
Cuttle
Kieselguhr
MANUFACTURED OR
SYNTHETIC ABRASIVESl:
Silicon carbide
Aluminium oxide
Rouge
Tin oxide

152. 1)LIGHT CURING UNITS
-Initiate polymerization of light activated composite resin.
-hand held devices
light source equipped with rigid ligt guide made of fused
optical fibres
-quartz bulb with tungsten filament in halogen
environment (widely used)
-Light emitting diodes(LEDs), plasma arc cutting(PAC) and
laser lamps developed
-LED lamps: require less power and do not produce heat
-blue light (wavelength: 400-500nm) used

154. 2)AMALGAMATOR
-Mechanical triturating device for amalgum alloy and
mercury
-Save time, triturate with low mercury/alloy ratio
-Amalgum capsule placed serves as mortar, cylindrical
metal or plastic piston serves as pestle
-high speed oscillation

155. 3)CASTING FURNACE
-Invested rings are placed at room temp. and heated to
maximum temp. for melting wax and form a mould.
-temp. varies as:
Gypsum-bonded:500-700°C
Phosphate-bonded:700-1030°C
-eliminate wax by heating
-also called burn-out furnace
-after dewaxing, rings-placed wherein molten alloyis
sent into mould for casting restoration.

156. 4)CASTING MACHINES
-Alloys are melted and casted
-Various types:
i]Electrical resistance-Heating casting machine
ii]Induction melting machine
iii]Centrifugal casting machine
iv]Direct current arc melting machine
v]Vacuum or pressure-arrested casting machine