Classification of Instruments used in Pedodontics for Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry in Pediatric patients is very different compared to the Adult patients as the Decidious teeth are different in structure, shape and many other factors are to be considered. The main aspect is the thickness of the Enamel and Dentin which are much thinner when compared to permanent dentition which needs us to take more care in preparing cavities.
The Restorative materials are also chosen depending on the type of dentition in question. The rest of the Armamentarium is almost similar to that of permanent dentition.

Diagnostic Instruments in Pediatric Restorative Dentistry:

1. Mouth Mirror or Odontoscope: Used as a secondary vision to help us view difficult places in the oral cavity, like the lingual surfaces of maxillary and andibular anteriors, maxillary posteriors etc.
2. Shepard’s Hook: As the name suggests it is a Hook shaped sharp tip instrument used to help diagnose Caries in Pit and fissures, the tip is passed through suspected fissures and if there us “catch” we suspect Caries.
3. Straight Probe
4. College Tweezers
5. Cow horn explorer

Cutting Instruments in Pediatric Restorative Dentistry:

a) Hand Cutting Instruments:
Spoon Excavator (Short Shank): It is a spoon shaped double sided instrument which is used to manually excavate or scoop out Caries and infected dentin from the tooth surface.
b) Rotary Cutting Instruments:
Burs: made up of mostly Stainless steel, Tungsten Carbide and Diamond Grit these are rotary instruments used to improve the efficiency and decrease the time taken to remove caries and cut the tooth structure. The main four burs used in Restorative Dentistry are: Round Bur (1/4, ½, 2, 4), Inverted Cone Bur (33 ½, 34), Straight Fissure Bur (557, 558), Tapered Fissure bur (169). These burs are comparatively smaller in dimensions to the burs used in Permanent Dentition.

Mixing Instruments: These are instruments used in mixing the Temporary or Permanent Cements and also Lining agents and Bases.

1. Agate Spatula
2. Plastic Cement Spatula
3. Metal Cement Spatula

Transfer Instruments: These are instruments used in carrying the cement or material from the mixing surface to the tooth surface.

1. Cement Carrier: Double Ended carrier and Spreader
2. Composite Instruments: Teflon Coated and Gold Coated
3. Amalgam Gun
4. MTA dispensing Gun

Condensing Instruments: These are instruments which are used to condense or pack the cement or material into the created cavity in the tooth surface. They are of two types:

1. Shape: Round, Parallelogram, Ovoid
2. Surface of Nib: Serrated, Smooth

Carving Instruments: These are sharp instruments which are used to carve out the excess material which was deposited in the cavity or tooth surface. These are also used to give a shape to the cement filling.

1. Half Hollenbach carver
2. Diamond Carver
3. Cleiod discoid Instruments
4. Ward’s Carver

Burnishers: These are blunt and smooth instruments which are used to smoothen out the surface of the filling and make it in line with the border of the tooth surface.

1. Ball Burnisher
2. Egg Burnisher
3. Diamond Burnisher
4. Beaver Tail Burnisher

Apart from these the other general instruments like teh Rubber Dam, Suction tips and Aerotars and Micromotars are all a part of the Restorative Dentistry Kit for Pediatric Patients