Dental explorer

Early lesions may be reversed with meticulous patient self-care and application of fluoride, as long as the thin surface layer remains intact.

The use of a dental explorer with firm pressure to probe suspicious areas may result in the rupture of the surface layer covering early lesions.

This instrument is used with the modified pen grasp and a feather light grip allowing for detection of both grainy and bindable deposits.

Tactile sensitivity is key with this stroke, it is used to detect tooth irregularities by feeling vibration transferred from the explorer tip to the handle.

The instrument can be removed, reinserted at the distal line angle, now with the tip third in the direction toward the mesial of the tooth.

Using the same multi-directional movements with the feather light grasp, follow the contour of the buccal or lingual aspects of the tooth around to the mesial line angle, here roll the instrument with the index finger the thumb into the interproximal space.

[citation needed][9] Source:[4] Anterior teeth are assessed using our clock positioning as fundamentals to proper adaptation of the 11/12 explorer.