In his work, the dentist uses a huge number of tools, including a dental probe. This tool allows you to diagnose the condition of hard dental tissues, as well as gums. There are many modifications of it, which differ from each other in the features of the structure, size and material from which it is made. The best material for this tool is stainless steel.
Dental Probe Features
The probe is one of the main tools used by practicing dentists. It is multifunctional and is used in every operational procedure.
The main functions that a dental probe performs:
- Study of tooth decay.
- Determination of the condition of fissures (depression in the enamel layer of the chewing surface of the tooth, which is located between the tubercles), namely their depth and soreness.
- Determination of the nature of the softening of dental tissue.
- Identification of messages between the cavity of the tooth and the carious cavity.
- Determination of the orifices of the root canal, the presence of periodontal canals and their depth.
There is another purpose for which the probe is used. Dental instruments of this shape help to introduce a drug into the cavity of the tooth or gum pocket.
Classification of instruments
There are many different types of dental probe, each used for a specific purpose. In general, this is a thin rod, the main material is stainless steel. Use it only with a dental mirror.
There are two main types of dental probes:
- Angular. The main purpose for which it is used is the study of a carious cavity, namely its identification and determination of depth. In some cases, it may be necessary to clarify the presence and condition of root canals, fissures.
- Periodontal. Used to examine periodontal pockets.
Other classifications are used:
- Based on the shape of the working part: straight, curved.
- Depending on the degree of sharpness of the working part: pointed, blunt.
- According to the functionality of the tool: one-sided, two-sided.
Depending on the purpose of use, the dental probe is divided into:
- crescent is used to study root separation of multi-rooted teeth;
- spiky helps identify cavities and other major he alth problemstooth;
- bellied periodontal probe, which has linear divisions - the main purpose of its use is related to measuring the depth of periodontal pockets, determining the degree of root exposure, the level of change in the gum surface relative to the tooth surface (it is the latter that leads to root exposure), the study of the fistulous tract, expansion of the excretory ducts of the salivary glands.
Many diagnostic probes have special markings. As a rule, it depends on the type of tool and the manufacturer. The most popular is the marking in 1 mm and 3 mm. This allows diagnosing the normal condition of periodontal pockets (the norm is no more than 3 mm).
How does a dentist choose an instrument?
For high-quality treatment of the patient's teeth, the dentist is responsible for the choice of instrument. The main criteria are the purpose of the procedure, the flexibility and sensitivity of the material. However, there are other factors that influence the choice:
- appearance of the probe;
- ergonomics, in particular its weight, glide, the way the tool lies in the hand;
- functionality of the needle (the working part of the probe);
- durability, corrosion resistance.
Requirements for diagnostic probe
There are a huge number of dental probes from different manufacturers, but their choice should be based on the requirements for manual dental instrumentation. These requirements are:
- ensure high qualitytreatment and performing medical manipulations;
- Ensuring patient comfort during medical dental procedures;
- Ensuring the convenience of the dentist during the performance of professional duties.
Only a high-quality and sterile instrument can prevent infection and ensure a high level of treatment.
Features of using a dental probe
Proper use of the dental probe is required to maintain accurate diagnosis. To do this, the tip of the instrument is placed with slight pressure in the gingival sulcus. It is an area of potential cavity between the tooth and adjacent tissue. It is very important to keep the probe parallel to the contour of the root of the tooth during the diagnosis, after which it must be inserted down to the base of the pocket. As a result of this, the tip of the tool goes deeper.
There is a graduation on the tip of the dental probe, so that the doctor can determine the depth of the pocket. Normally, it is 3 mm, while there is no bleeding during the examination.
A pocket depth of more than 3 mm occurs if there is a loss of attachment of the tooth to the alveolar bone - a symptom of periodontitis or gingival hyperplasia.
A curved dental probe is also used for other purposes, for example, for the introduction of drugs into the tooth cavity during restorative procedures, gum recession.
Professional oral hygiene treatmentperformed under local anesthesia and includes charting. Probing involves inserting a probe into the gingival sulcus and determining its depth in millimeters.
Bleeding while using a dental probe
In the presence of diseases in the oral cavity, even a slight pressure of the instrument is enough to cause bleeding. This happens primarily due to the fact that the blood vessels that are too close to the surface of the junctional epithelium are damaged. This symptom is very important in the diagnosis of dental diseases. However, the angular dental probe can cause bleeding in other cases, for example, due to individual characteristics. However, if the patient smokes, bleeding may not occur.
