Dental Instruments

We want visiting the dentist to be a comfortable experience at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, and we recognize that for most people, that means retaining a sense of agency. We use up-to-date technology in our office to provide patients with the best experience possible, but some people feel anxiety about ordinary dental instruments. We thought if patients knew how to talk about them, they would feel more relaxed.

The dental hygienists’ most important tools are the handheld mirror and the explorer. The explorer is the metal wand with a hook on each end that is used to investigate the hardness of enamel and the cleanliness of gum pockets. It is also used to scrape away tartar that has accumulated on teeth. A scaler is a kind of flattened hook that is used to clean bacteria out of gum pockets. Once the explorer has dislodged unwanted material, a vacuum hose called an evacuator is used to remove it.

Larger evacuators are used to remove debris from drilling. When a patient needs a filling, we will apply a localized anesthetic through a syringe and drill the decayed enamel away. The drill will emit water to prevent overheating. Once the decayed enamel is removed, we can replace it with a natural-colored non-toxic filling. The filling will be contoured using a blunt-tipped instrument called a burnisher, ensuring that it will not interfere with the patient’s bite.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.