What Are Those Things In the Dentist’s Office?

Going to the dentists can be intimidating, especially when you’re surrounded by equipment that you don’t know. However, there’s very little to worry about, because much of the equipment that you’ll find in the office is designed to help you maintain, heal and clean your teeth. Most of the equipment found is used for cleaning, and despite how scary the tools can look, they’re mostly used for helping rid of plaque and tartar from the gums and teeth. Here’s what you’ll normally find in the dentist:

Saliva Ejector

The least intimidating, and probably the most fun equipment for patients is a device that grabs hold of the saliva from your cheeks, tongue, and teeth, and sucks it up out of your mouth so that way your dentist will be able to get to your teeth without having a bucket full of saliva in your mouth.

Isolite

An isolite accomplishes two things: it helps open your mouth wider and allows your dentist to see what they’re doing. If your dentist did not have this device, your dentist would constantly be asking you to open your mouth wider as they used a flashlight to see your teeth. The isolite allows you to relax your jaws without fully closing them, and also has an attached flashlight so your dentist can see what they’re doing.

Scaler

The scaler, a metal scraper that scrapes at the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums, can be the most intimidating piece of equipment in the office. Despite the fact that it’s sharp, for those with healthy teeth, it shouldn’t hurt your gums because if you’ve been able to take care of your teeth, you won’t have your dentist using this tool as much. However, if you have problems, such as gingivitis, your dentist will probably be using this tool more, and it might hurt because of how inflamed the gums are due to the bacteria.

Probe

These devices check the health of the gums by looking for the presence of gum disease, similar to the scaler, except its made specifically for the gums. Just like the scaler, you shouldn’t fear the probe, because if your teeth are healthy, you won’t be experiencing the pressure placed from the probe as long. However, if you have a problem with your gums, your dentist is going to have to work really hard to clean whatever bacteria and plaque is left underneath your gums.

These are just a few items that your dentist will have in their office. If you’re wanting to learn more about the types of equipment a dentist office usually has, then one of the best places to get that information is to contact Dr. Deborah Tabb at Bethesda Family Dentistry in Besthesda, RI. Through extensive knowledge and a more than capable team of dentists, Dr. Tabb will be able to clean and care for your teeth, give you advice on how to care for your teeth and keep up your oral health. Schedule an appointment today!