The ExplorerThe Explorer(Lets’ explore the possibilities!)(Lets’ explore the possibilities!)

Types of Explorers:Types of Explorers:Shepherd Hook Explorer Straight Explorer

Pigstail or Cowshorn Explorer

Orban or #17/18 Explorer

ODU 11/12 Explorer

#17 Explorer

Explorers that you will use here at UMB.

General Design andGeneral Design and Characteristics:Characteristics:

Foot of instrument

Explorer TIP:Explorer TIP:

Explorer SHANK:Explorer SHANK:

Or ‘Terminal shank’

Choosing the Correct Choosing the Correct

WORKING WORKING END:END:

Now- let’s move to the Now- let’s move to the

Anterior TeethAnterior Teeth::

#17 Explorer for #17 Explorer for ANTERIOR TEETHANTERIOR TEETH Insert so

that terminal shank is parallel to the long axis of the Instrument tip should point down towards the sulcus.

Here the terminal shank is parallel to line angle.

Start at the Red dotted line (“Line angle”) furthest away from you and walk towards the contact.

That means (for Maxillary teeth):

Righties start with the ‘distal’ of #11 (upper left canine).

Lefties start with the ‘distal’ of #6 (upper right canine).

That means (for Mandibular teeth):

Righties start with the ‘distal’ of #22 (lower left canine).

Lefties start with the ‘distal’ of #27 (lower right canine).

(What is your clock position for the Anterior teeth?)

Exploring the Posterior Exploring the Posterior Teeth:Teeth:

Insert at distalline angle

Right from Wrong:Right from Wrong:

Right WrongWhy is this one wrong?

Terminal shank is not parallel to long axis of the tooth!

Shank should be a little straighter so that tip points downward into the sulcus.

After walking the length of the distal surface- pull explorer out of sulcus and roll instrument till tip points towards the mesial surface.Reinsert at the Distal line angle a walk mesially.

Walk explorer to the mesial line angle:Tip of instrument points down into sulcus- this means the terminal shank will now be “oblique”.

Terminal shank will straighten up at the Mesial line angle

Sequence for Sequence for posterior posterior sextants:sextants:

Probing Sequence (per quadrant):

(limited radius)

Area Patient’s Head

Clock Position

UR and LR Buccal

(Anteriors)

Left

(Neutral)

10:00-11:00

12:00 (Anteriors)

UR and LR Lingual

(Anteriors)

Right

(Neutral)

11:00

(12:00 )

---------------- ------------ ------------------

UL Buccal(Anteriors)

Right(Neutral)

11:00(12:00)

UL Lingual(Anteriors)

Right(Neutral)

11:00(12:00)

LL Buccal(Anteriors)

Right(Neutral)

10:00-11:00(12:00)

LL Lingual(Anteriors)

Left(Neutral)

10:00(12:00)

For Right Handed Clinicians:

Midline

Notice that operator position and the direction of the instrument handle changes at the canine on the dominant side *.

Midline

*

*

Probing Sequence(per quadrant):

(limited radius)

Area Patient’s Head

Clock Position

UL and LL Buccal

(Anteriors)

Right

(Neutral)

2:00-1:00

(12:00)

UL and LL Lingual

(Anteriors)

Left

(Neutral)

2:00-1:00

(12:00)

---------------- ------------ ------------------

UR Buccal(Anteriors)

Left(Neutral)

1:00(12:00)

UL Lingual(Anteriors)

Left(Neutral)

1:00(12:00)

LL Buccal(Anteriors)

Left(Neutral)

2:00-1:00(12:00)

LL Lingual(Anteriors)

Left(Neutral)

2:00(12:00)

For Left Handed Clinicians:

Notice that operator position and the direction of the instrument handle changes at the canine on the dominant side. *

Midline

*

*Midline

Things to keep in Things to keep in mind:mind:

The video on exploring technique demonstrates this beautifully!!! Can you find it?

This is where your Dental Anatomy is going to come to play!!!

Need to adapt instrument tip to the contours of the tooth- in this case, the concavity.

Adapting instrument tip to the concavity:

Mesial of the distal root

Distal of the mesial root

The End!