Exploring

Question 1

What is an explorer used for?

Answer 1

Calculus detection
Detection/assessment of: grooves, curvatures, root furcation, dental restorations, sealants, defective restorations, surface irregularities, root caries.

Question 2

What methods are used for detecting calculus?

Answer 2

Exploring, radiographs, periscope, direct vision, clinical evaluation

Question 3

Why is it important to accurately detect calculus?

Answer 3

Discover cause for disease, determine needed treatment, determine time needed to complete treatment, evaluate completeness of treatment, determine difficult while in treatment, determine difficulty while in school, find mock board patient, part of manikin board exam.

Question 4

When should you use the explorer?

Answer 4

Every patient before creating a tax plan.
Explore, scale, explore
After finding out there is residual calculus remaining (scal check, re-eval appointment)

Question 5

What are the specific design characteristics of an 11/12 explorer?

Answer 5

Flexible working end
Paired working ends
Tapers to a sharp point
Tip is at a 90 degree angle to lower shank
Long complex shank
Circular cross section

Question 6

Tip of the explorer

Answer 6

The tip is 1 to 2 mm of the side of teh explorer. The tip is adapted to the tooth for detection of calculus deposits.

Question 7

Lower shank

Answer 7

The lower shank of an explorer is teh section of teh shank that is nearest to the explorer tip.

Question 8

Caries detection

Answer 8

If the explorer stick or tugs back on withdrawal, then caries are present. This method dis no longer recommended.

Question 9

Auditory and visual

Answer 9

Quiet: clean, smooth enamel
Audible: calculus, restorations
Visual ‘ jump’ with explorer.

Question 10

Tactile sensitivity

Answer 10

Ability to detect calculus deposits by feeling vibrations transferred from the explorer tip to the instrument shank and handle.

Question 11

Tactile sensitivity process

Answer 11

1. The explorer tip quivers as it passes over a calculus deposits on the root of the tooth.
   2.. These vibrations are transmitted from the tip through the instrument shank and handle.
2. The clinician feels these vibrations with his or her fingers resting on the instrument shank and handle.
3. The clinician recognizes these vibrations as calculus deposits.

Question 12

Technique tips for exploring

Answer 12

Grasp: relaxed grasp, middle finger rests lightly on shank
Pressure: very light pressure
Adaptation: 1-2mm of side of tip
Fulcrum: ‘up’ on your fulcrum

Question 13

Subgingival exploring

Answer 13

Feather light pressure against tooth, assessment strokes should be short in length and involve many overlapping strokes (must keep explorer moving), always keep tip beneath gingival margin.

Question 14

Which is the correct working end?

Answer 14

Handle should be parallel with the long axis of the tooth for anterior teeth.

Question 15

Steps to exploring

Answer 15

Place the working end in the get ready zone in teh middle third of the crown, slide the tip along the tooth surface and gently insert it at teh middling beneath the gingival margin, make a series of feather-light strokes across the facial surface.
Roll the instrument handle as you approach the mesial surfaces to maintain adaptation.
Explore the mesial surface.

Question 16

Technique check

Answer 16

Continue making strokes until you have explored at least halfway across the mesial surface. The other half of the mesial surface is explored from the lingual aspect

Question 17

Sequence for exploring

Answer 17

All the surfaces toward, next, do the surfaces away.

Question 18

Exploring posterior teeth

Answer 18

Lower shank is paralle to teh distal surface or. Long axis of the tooth, functional shank foes up and over the tooth.
Start at the distofacial line angle and work back toward the distal surface. Always begin at the distal line angle, doesn’t change at the midline.

Question 19

Steps for exploring posterior teeth

Answer 19

Place the explorer tip in the get ready zone
Lower teh instrument handle, gently insert beneath the gingival margin, make feather-light strokes toward the distal surface. Apply light pressure against the tooth.
As you approach the distal surface, roll the instrument handle slightly to maintain adaptation. Explore at least halfway across teh distal surface.
THEN begin at the distofacial one angle, gently insert beneath the gingival margin and make a series of feather-light strokes across the facial surface. Roll the instrument handle as you approach teh mesiofacial line angle to maintains adaptation.

Question 20

Tooth surface irregularities

Answer 20

Elevations: calculus, tooth irregularities, overhangs
Depressions: caries, abrasion, erosion, cemetal respiration, deficient margins on restorations.

Question 21

Normal conditions

Answer 21

Your fingers do not feel any interruptions in the path of the explorer

Question 22

Small calculus deposits

Answer 22

You will feel a gritty sensation as the explorer passes over the small calculus deposits.

Question 23

Large ledge of calculus

Answer 23

You will feel the tip move out and around the raised bump and return back to the tooth surface

Question 24

Overhanging restoration

Answer 24

Explorer must move away from tooth and over teh restoration

Question 25

Deficient margin on restoration

Answer 25

Explorer dips into trace the restoration.

Question 26

Carious lesion

Answer 26

Explorer tip dips into a rough depression

Question 27

Supragingival calc detection

Answer 27

Use a lot of air, when dried, calc appears rough and chalky white.

Question 28

Where are the most common locations where clinicians fail to detect calculus?

Answer 28

Near the line angles of posterior teeth. At the midline’s of anterior teeth.

Question 29

Horizontal strokes

Answer 29

Strokes made in a perpendicular direction to the long axis of the tooth.

Question 30

What are some errors in technique that may prevent you from detecting calculus?

Answer 30

A firm, tense, death grip or incorrect grasp Applying pressure with the middle finger against the shank or middle finger not on shank Not up on fulcrum Loss of contact of last 1-2 mm of tip with tooth surface- not rolling or rolling to late Inability to reach halfway IP Inability to reach base of sulcus Moving explorer too slow