Dental Surgical Instruments

Essential instruments used in oral surgery and tooth extraction arranged on a surgical tray.

• Mouth mirror: Small round mirror used for indirect vision, retraction of soft tissues, and reflecting light.
• Dental explorer: Sharp probe used to detect decay, calculus, and examine margins.
• Cotton forceps: Angled tweezers used to transfer small materials, gauze, and pellets in and out of the oral cavity.
• Scalpel handle: Handle holding disposable surgical blades used to incise oral mucosa and gingiva.
• Periosteal elevator: Double-ended tool used to detach the periosteum and gingiva from the underlying alveolar bone.
• Straight elevator: Leverage instrument used to luxate teeth and expand the alveolar socket prior to forceps extraction.
• Cryer elevator: Triangular-tipped elevator used to remove broken roots from multi-rooted tooth sockets.
• Dental extraction forceps: Pliers-like instrument used to grasp and deliver the tooth from its alveolar socket.
• Surgical curette: Spoon-shaped instrument used to debride granulomas, cysts, or debris from an extraction socket.
• Bone file: Double-ended rasp used to smooth rough edges of alveolar bone before closure.
• Rongeur forceps: Heavy spring-loaded cutting pliers used to trim and remove sharp pieces of alveolar bone.
• Needle holder: Locking forceps used to grasp and drive the suture needle during wound closure.
• Suture scissors: Scissors designed to cut suture threads without snagging surrounding tissue.
• Tissue forceps: Non-locking tweezers, often toothed, used to stabilize soft tissue flaps during dissection and suturing.
• Surgical suction tip: Narrow metal tube connected to high-volume evacuation to clear blood, saliva, and bone fragments.