Dental Elevators: How They Work and Why Dentists Use Them

Dental elevators work to loosen the teeth from the gums for the purposes of extraction. They follow the methods of leverage, wedging, and rotational forceps to take out the teeth from their socket. New Med Instruments specialises in the manufacturing of dental elevators. We believe in structuring and producing safe and well-crafted dental tools for non-traumatic surgeries.

In this New Med guide, we will walk you through how dental elevators work and why dentists use them. Their types will be discussed along with the benefits and a comprehensive guide to taking care of your dental elevators.

Definition of a Dental Elevator

During the extraction process, dentists loosen the teeth from their sockets. Once loose, they strike an incision in the periodontal ligaments for the teeth to detach. Firstly, a lifting force is created. This makes the dental elevator work as a lever. Secondly, the blade goes in the space between the bone and the teeth. This helps with creating space and loosening the tooth. Lastly, the surgeons rotate the elevator, and the tooth pops out without damaging the nearby tissues.

Purpose of Using a Dental Elevator

Dentists use a dental elevator for various purposes. Some of them are described for your understanding, precisely:

Easy Extraction: Every elevator works to create a space between the bone and the teeth. Loosening up the teeth helps with easy extraction.
Helps with Decayed Teeth: Decayed teeth can be a lost cause. It becomes difficult to extract them. Therefore, surgeons use dental elevators to detach them for good.
Removing Retained Roots: Sometimes, during the extraction, the root breaks off deep inside the socket. At this point, dental elevators come to the rescue.
Splitting Multi-Rooted Teeth: At times, dental elevators allow the practitioners to split the teeth into smaller parts. This helps take our broken pieces with ease.

Key Parts of a Dental Elevator

A dental elevator has three different major components, which should be studied in depth for proper understanding, precisely:

Handle: Every dental elevator has a proper handle with a placement spot. This power grip enables practitioners to practice maximum control during manipulation. Either the handle is an extension of the shank or slightly angled for higher torque. The examples of angled dental elevators include Winter and Cyner elevators.
Working Tip: The working blade of an elevator can be flat, concave, or pointed. This helps cut the ligament with ease.
Shank: This part of the dental elevator acts as a middle section. It is a spot where the manufacturers join the blade to the handle. Typically, manufacturers use high-grade surgical stainless steel to provide maximum support to the instrument’s structure. Moreover, the shank may be angled at some point. This helps access the specific areas of the mouth.

Types of Dental Elevators

Below is a brief overview of the different types of dental elevators for your understanding. Read on the explore:

Straight Elevators

Before extraction, dental surgeons keep their surgical kits prepared with the most convenient surgical elevator, known as the straight elevator. Typically, they work to put pressure between the bone and the tooth intended for extraction. This action loosens the tooth from the socket, leaving the tooth moving. Now practitioners can use forceps to take the loose tooth out. Usually, routine extractions are carried out by this gem. The examples include Warwick James Straight Elevator and Coupland Elevator, among others.

Apex/Root Elevators

After a tooth fracture, the fragments can remain embedded in the gums, increasing the chances of infection. Therefore, at this crucial point, dental practitioners use root elevators to take out apical fragments. Usually, manufacturers have them constructed in a narrow formation. For instance, the Crane Pick elevator and the Heidbrink root tip elevator.

Periosteal Elevators

Dental procedures may require the retraction of soft tissue from the bony structures. Therefore, Periosteal elevators, with their safe dealings, work to separate the periosteum. Consequently, no damage is ever done to the healthy nearby tissues. Mostly, the oral surgery and flap elevation demand their use. Prichard Periosteal Elevator and Molt Periosteal Elevator are some of their types.

Wheel/Cryer Elevators

In case professionals want to take out the fractured bone fragments from the socket, they prefer using Cryer/wheel elevators. Usually, these elevators have triangular tips positioned at a slight angle. Therefore, surgeons might also need them in molar extractions. It is this shape that allows the tool to access deeper cavities and elevate the tooth. East-West and Cryer elevators are some of its types.

How Dental Elevators Assist in Extraction

First Step: Firstly, surgeons use sharp luxators. These help them detach the fibers associated with the ligament. Consequently, the anchor supporting tooth is lost.
Second Step: Secondly, the surgeons may rest the tool on the nearby healthy tooth. This support acts as a fulcrum for creating pressure and taking out the tooth.
Third Step: Next, the force applied loosens the tooth’s grip.
Final Step: When the surgeons get the green signal, dental elevators then scoop out the tooth, and it is finally extracted.

Benefits of Dental Elevators in Oral Surgery

Given is a brief overview of the major benefits of dental elevators in oral surgery, precisely:

Reduces Trauma associated with Elevation: If more than necessary force is applied, the chances of root or crown fracture may increase. The major part is played by the dental elevators. These help loosen the tooth. Once loosened, surgeons can pick the fragments and scoop them out of the socket.
Aids in Root Sectioning: Stubborn root tips can be hard to reach. Practitioners, therefore, take to using dental elevators, which can help access them without any added complication.
Helps Ease Complex Extractions: In situations such as retained roots and impacted teeth, forceps fail to work. At this point, teeth elevators come to help the practitioners.

Care and Sterilisation of Elevators

It is advisable to keep your dental elevators always clean. Oral hygiene plays a huge role in determining the overall health of the patient. Therefore, dental instruments should always remain squeaky clean if you want to remove any chances of infection.

To clean, it is recommended to first rinse the used dental elevators. Once rinsed, put the tool in the autoclave where it gets sterilised. After sterilisation, pack the tool back in its dental kit for future use. Also, we use high-grade surgical stainless steel for construction. The tool should be well- washed and then dried if you want to keep it working.

Safety Tips When Using Dental Elevators

We have consolidated some safety tips for using dental elevators, such as:

When using dental elevators, securely grasp the shank with your index finger.
To avoid any sort of discomfort, you can use a bony fulcrum.
Prefer adopting a levering motion along the long axis. This helps in protecting the soft gums.
Dental elevators are not one size fits all. The tip size must be chosen according to the tooth size.

FAQs

Q1: Is there any difference between a luxator and an elevator?

Elevators, as the name suggests, are tools for lifting the dead tooth from the socket. Due to their function, their construction is heavy. While the luxator works to sever the periodontal ligament, which helps cut it. Usually, it has a thinner construction.

Q2: How to hold a dental elevator during the procedure?

You should hold the handle in your palm, with your index finger on the shank. The other hand should be actively involved in elevating the tooth.

Perfect Your Dental Practice with New Med Instrument’s Tooth Extraction Elevators

Your dental practice requires dependable assisting surgical tools. Dental elevators are one of them. With their remarkable force, they can conveniently take out the tooth from the socket. Whether it is a straight elevator or a Root elevator, every configuration and style can be found in our facility. For bookings, place your orders now. With our fast delivery time, you can get your dental forceps in 7-10 business days.