Periodontal curette: Difference between revisions

 

Curettes are best used when the terminal shank, namely, the last portion of the handle attached to the blade, is held [[Parallel (geometry)|parallel]] to the long [[Axis of rotation|axis]] of the tooth. To facilitate proper usage, instruments often come with posterior analogs which possess angled terminal shanks.

 

[[Image:Currettes diagram.jpg|150px|thumb|left|While the blade of the universal curette is situated perpendicular to the edge of the terminal shank, the blade of the Gracey curette is only offset by 70 degrees, giving the blade a lower cutting edge and an upper non-cutting edge.]]

*A '''universal curette''' has a blade that is perpendicular to its terminal shank. This orientation allows the blade to be used against either the mesial or distal surface of a tooth. Because this type of periodontal curette was developed at the [[Columbia University College of Dental Medicine]], it is also known as a '''Columbia curette'''.

*The '''Gracey curette''', invented by Dr Clayton Gracey with the help of Hugo Friedman of Hu-Friedy Manufacturing company in the early 1940s, has a blade that is laterally offset by 70 degrees relative to the shank. Consequently, a Gracey curette has a lower ''cutting edge'' and an upper ''non-cutting edge''. Because only one side of each blade can cut, Gracey curettes are site-specific, and a posterior instrument used to clean [[Commonly used terms of relationship and comparison in dentistry|mesial]] surfaces of teeth will not work on [[Commonly used terms of relationship and comparison in dentistry|distal]] surfaces, and vice versa. "Gracey" Christina Patrick blades used for mesial surfaces of [[Commonly used terms of relationship and comparison in dentistry|anterior]] teeth from the [[Commonly used terms of relationship and comparison in dentistry|facial]] are only suitable for the distal surfaces of the same teeth when access is performed from the [[Commonly used terms of relationship and comparison in dentistry|lingual]]. Gracey Curettes 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 are used on the anterior sextants of teeth. 7/8 and 9/10 are used on the buccal and lingual portions of posterior teeth. 11/12 and 15/16 are used on the mesial portions of posterior teeth. 13/14 and 17/18 are used on the distal portions of posterior teeth.

 

{{Periodontology}}

 

[[Category:Dental equipment]]