Most people, even if they are not afraid of the dentist, have a strategy for dealing with them. Some people tough it out, others take very good care of their teeth to make the visit short, and some like to know exactly what the dentist is going to do before they do it. In this third case, some people also like to know what equipment is used in dental practices.
While this article won’t make going to the dentist even easier, it will give you a look into what type of equipment dentists use during their practice and whenever they are working with you as a patient.
Table of Contents
Top Dental Equipment That They Will Use
A Mouth Mirror
This is probably the least imposing or worrying item on this list. A dental mirror is a long rod with a large mirror attached to it, and while the mirror can feel a bit uncomfortable inside of your mouth, it won’t do anything else. The mirror allows the dentist to see your teeth from all angles and helps them inspect your teeth for problems that they wouldn’t be able to see just by looking down or straight into your mouth.
A Dental Probe
These probes can look a little scary, but they help to explore the mouth and clean it. A sickle probe (so named because the probe looks like a sickle) helps to locate cavities and other problems. While periodontal probes measure your gums to see if you have any gum problems. Most of the time these probes won’t harm your teeth and will be out of your mouth once the inspection is complete.
Dental Burrs, however, tend to cut your teeth as well, and those are another story.
Suction Devices and Water Sprayers
If you hold your mouth open for a long period of time, you might notice that saliva starts to build up, as well as other debris from cleaning your teeth during your dental visit. This can cause a problem for the dentist and can be uncomfortable for you because you can’t really swallow while the dentist is working.
The dentist typically will use a suction device to remove anything obstructing the mouth and might spray your teeth with a water sprayer beforehand.
Anesthetic and Sedatives
This might not be one of the most common things on this list, but an anesthetic is something that can be used whenever you are undergoing a procedure or an operation on your teeth. This numbs your teeth and gums so the dentist can operate on the softer enamel inside of the teeth without you feeling any pain.
If you are still worried about pain during a procedure, or simply don’t want to be awake during the procedure, then you can also take sedatives to keep you calm and sleepy during a dental procedure. These can include nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedatives, or an IV sedative as well, all administered by the dentist before you start.
The sedatives are safe and tend to make you feel a little loopy, but you can still respond to the dentist’s orders. You just won’t remember what happened and will be snapped out of the sedative at the end of the procedure.
Dental Scalers
Arguably one of the worst parts of being at the dentist, whenever dental plaque is too hardened to be removed by simple brushing or other tools, it needs to be scraped off by these scalers which can feel a little funny but otherwise don’t hurt you. The dentist will often scrape your teeth free of plaque and then use the water sprayer and suction gun to remove the loose bits.
Thankfully, if you have a regular routine of brushing your teeth, the plaque won’t harden and this tool can go unused.
X-Ray Machines
Getting your teeth X-rayed is something that will happen every couple of visits, giving the dentist more information about your teeth and also allowing you to see your mouth in its entirety. Cavities, oral problems, and even tooth decay can be detected after your trip through the X-ray machine, and then you and your dentist can make a plan of attack to deal with the problem.
Understand The Equipment Dentists Use To Make Your Trip Easier.
If you want to make your dental trip easier and overcome your anxiety over the dentist, then understanding the tools they are using and why they are using them can be very helpful for you. Then the next time you go to the dentist, you can feel better and even point out what tools they are using.
