DENTAL SPOON EXCAVATOR : AN AID TO CAVITY PREPARATION

                       Many instruments are used during cavity preparation in a dental procedure. They have different shapes and designs and perform the function of tooth cutting and caries removal. They are used on different parts of oral cavity and on different surfaces. Few excavation instruments are Enamel Hatchets, Enamel Chisels, Gingival Margin Trimmer & Spoon Excavators.

Spoon Excavators are used to remove the decayed dentin and tooth debris from decayed cavities. Depend upon their size, they are categorized as small, medium and large excavators. 

                                                           Veecare Spoon Excavator

Small excavators are used to remove smaller tooth cavities and to clean the dentine junction. Their diameter is approximately 1mm. Less force has to be used to prevent it from damage as it is fragile instrument.

The diameter of medium excavator is 1.5mm and it is used to remove soft caries from larger cavities. The rounded surface of excavator can also be used to put the mixed restorative material in cavity.

The large excavator has about 2mm diameter. It is used for tooth excavating and to remove glass- ionomer material. The other instruments used for cavity preparations are mixing spatula, tweezer, mouth mirror,  explorer and carver. The ‘Arkansas stone’  is used to sharpen the hatchets and excavators.