Instruments & Materials

• Lining materials available


  • Calcium Hydroxide
  • Zinc Phosphate Cement
  • Zinc Oxide & Eugenol
  • Glass Ionomer
• Reasons for using a lining material


  • Adds bulk to the tooth
  • Protects pulp from hot & cold (thermal shock)
  • Protects pulp from filling material (chemical irritation)
• Amalgam


  Strong, cheap
• Composite


  Good aesthetics, conducts hot & cold
• Glass Ionomer


  Releases fluoride, bonds directly to enamel & dentine
• Suitable lining materials under an amalgam restoration


  • Calcium hydroxide
  • Glass ionomer
  • Zinc phosphate cement
  • Zinc oxide & eugenol
• Items used to shape and finish an amalgam restoration


  • Amalgam burnisher
  • Amalgam carver
• Items used to shape and finish a composite restoration

  • Polishing disc & mandrel
  • Finishing/polishing strip/white stone
• Examples of temporary filling materials


  • Zinc oxide & eugenol cement
  • Glass ionomer
• Calcium hydroxide cement


  Encourages formation of secondary dentine
• Acid used in acid etch

  Phosphoric acid
• Instruments/materials


  • Mouth mirror
  • Probe
  • Periodontal probe
  • Tweezers
  • Excavator
  • Flat plastic
  • Burnisher
  • Carver
  • Miler forceps/Spencer wells
  • Wedge
  • Matrix band
  • Celluloid strip
  • Dry guard
  • Ethyl chloride
• Probe


  Measure periodontal pocket
• Periodontal probe


  Transfer amal objects
• Tweezers


  Remove conies from dentine
• Excavator


  Remove caries from dentine
• Flat plastic


  Place lining material/composite, Condense amalgam, Smooth amalgam
• Burnisher


  Shape & remove excess amalgam
• Carver


  Carve amalgam restoration
• Miler forceps/Spencer wells


  Hold articulating paper
• Wedge


  Prevent overhangs in amalgam
• Matrix band


  Prevent overhang in composite
• Celluloid strip


  Saliva control/cheek retraction
• Dry guard


  Test tooth vitality
• Ethyl chloride


  Test tooth vitality
• Items to prevent overhangs on restorations


  • Matrix band
  • Celluloid strip
  • Wedge
• Material applied to glass ionomer restoration


  Petroleum jelly/vaseline
• Reason for applying petroleum jelly/vaseline


  To prevent moisture contamination
• Instruments used when placing rubber dam


  • Rubber dam frame
  • Rubber dam punch
  • Rubber dam forceps
  • Winged clamp
• Winged clamp


  Used in connection with placement of rubber dam
• Hand scalers for supra-gingival calculus removal


  • Sickle
  • Push/jacquette
• Hand scalers for sub-gingival calculus removal


  • Periodontal hoe
  • Curette
• Reasons for using celluloid matrix strips when placing composite fillings


  • They are easier to use than metal strips
  • Light curing can occur through the cellulose
  • They are not sharp and less chance of injury
  • Easy to dispose
• Recommended water temperature for mixing alginate

  21 oC-
• Material that releases fluoride when placed in a cavity

  Glass ionomer
• Most effective for moisture control

  Rubber dam
• Record cards should be retained at the surgery for 11 years or up to the age of 25 whichever is the longer
• Steps for safe use, storage, and disposal of amalgam


  • Use amalgam capsules
  • Wear PPE & do not handle
  • Mix in well ventilated area
  • Keep waste amalgam in sealed container
  • Have mercury spillage kit available
  • Dispose waste amalgam in red stream waste (special waste)
  • Remove from the practice by an authorised company and retain consignment note
• Hazards associated with mercury


  • Poisonous
  • Harmful to the Environment
  • Toxic
• Items to deal with a small mercury spillage


  • Flowers of sulphur/Micro-fined sulphur powder
  • Calcium hydroxide
  • Disposable syringe
  • Brush & shovel
  • Alloy wool
  • Sealed container
  • PPE