Orthodontic

Instruments
Contents
 Introduction
 BriefHistory
 Orthodontic Instruments Materials
 Manufacturing
 Parts Of Pliers
 Grasp
 Features Of Orthodontic Instruments
 Classification Of Orthodontic Instruments
 Diagnostic Instruments
 Separator Placement
 Band Forming Instruments
 Bracket Positioning Instruments
 Ligature Instruments
 Cutters
 Debonding Instruments
 Wire Bending Instruments
 Wire Forming instruments
 Measuring Instruments
 Other Instruments
 Maintenance
 Sterilization
 References
Introduction
Tool

“A device or implement, especially one held in the hand,

used to carry out a particular function”

Pliers

“A tool with scissor-action, pointed-

jawed tool for bending or cutting metal wires or grasping s
mall objects.”
Principle
First Class Lever
 Class Three Lever
Brief History
 3000 BC – Bronze Age
 Evolved from Tongs
 Hand Tool used to hold objects firmly

 Late 17th Century – Pierre Fauchard – Needle Nose Pliers

 Often used tools from Watch maker and Jewellers
Orthodontic Instruments
Materials
Stainles Tungsten German Titanium
s Steel Carbide Stainles Alloy
Steel s Steel

88% Iron Equal Iron Aluminium

parts of Chromium Vanadium
12% Tungsten Nickel
Chromium Carbon Molybdenu
0.2% m
Carbon
Manufacture
Red Hot Forged in Die Trimming of
Metal by pressure Forged rod

Shaping
Salt Water
the beak Austempering
Rapid Cooling
by Cutting
Laser Heat Pair of Handle
treatment is assembled Martempering
by Rivet
of Beak

Cool in Oil Dip in

Corrosion
Laser
Solution Engraving
Resistant
Parts Of Plier
Beak

Joint

Handle
Grasp
Thumb and Palm Grip -

Pen Grip -
Joints

Box Joint

Screw
Joint
Features Of Orthodontic
Instruments
 Stainless steel
 Tungsten Carbide Tips
 Hinge or Pivot joint
 Gold brazing
 Rounded tips
 Serrations on working ends
 Inner Surface of beak
 Bow out handles
 Laser Marking
Diagnostic Instruments
 Mouth Mirror
 Probe
 Explorer
 Tweezer
 Impression trays
 Lip Retactor
 Intraoral Mirror
Instruments
for
placement of
Separator
 Separator Placing Pliers

 Stainless steel
 Spring back action
 Use - Expanding elastic separators before positioning them
interdentally.
 Barrel-shaped tip prevents slippage of the module, reduces
the risk of tissue damage.
 Angled beaks facilitate easier placement of elastic separators
in anterior and posterior areas
Band
Forming
Instrument
s
Band Cutting Scissors
 Hardened stainless steel with tungsten carbide inert cutting
tip
 Cutting Edge Pattern
 straight or curved pattern
 long and short
 Use - cutting thin metal bands or band material
Mershon Band Pusher
 Handle is cylindrical and working end is
serrated
 Use –
 push bands so as to seat
 adapt to contour of the teeth
Band Pinchable Plier
 Beaks are in triangular passion with inner surfaces had
serrated for better control of band material.
 It has two types curved and straight.
 Curved (45˚) pinchable plier used for lower band preparation ,
and straight is used for upper band preparation.
 Use - for pinching of bands during band preparation
Peak Plier
 Beaks - Contour fitting to the side of a tooth is aided by the
concave surface or depression at the outer ends of each of
the band clamping portion.
 Use - for preparation of band to tooth.
Double Beak Pliers
 Stainless steel
 Double beak pliers are used for
forming bands in the mouth.
 Types - Anterior and posterior band
fabrications.
 These were important when all
teeth were Banded
 Use - preparation of band to tooth
Nylon Band Seater
 High impact plastics or wood
 The biting surface - Tin inlay with serrated surface
 Shape –
 Round
 Square
 Triangular
 Use – Patient is asked to bite on the surface with the tin inlay
tip resting on the lug or the band edge.
Band Crimping Plier
 Use - contour the gingival surface of preformed bands to
provide better tooth anatomy

Photo – Hu-friedy Catalog

Johnson Band Contouring Plier
 Beaks - Tapered with a slight bow.
 One beak is concave and other is
convex allowing re-contouring of
bands.
 Use - re-contour band edges that
sometimes get bent during band
placement.
Anterior Band Removing Pliers

 Beak - narrow groove and sharp end

 One beak is shorter
Oliver Jones Posterior Band
Removing Plier
 Beaks - Plastic padded tip and sharp removing beak
 Plastic head rest on the occlusal surface of tooth and the
sharp tip below the gingival contour of the band.
 Use - Remove posterior metal bands with maximum patient
comfort.
Bracket
Instrument
s
 Boons Gauge
 It is the most frequently used bracket positioning aid.
 Stainless steel.
 It accurately measures height of bracket placement from the incisal
edge at 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5mm.
 Flat surface rests on incisal/occlusal surface of tooth.
 Simplifies seating the bracket on the teeth with exactly the right
distance between bracket slot and incisal edge with pencil lid or
metal tips.
Bracket Positioning & Height
Gauge
 Aluminum or stainless steel
 Use - This device simplifies the seating of brackets on the teeth with
exactly the right distance between the bracket slot and incisal edge.
 Adjustable for use on both anterior and posterior teeth.
 Measures height of bracket placement from the incisal edge at 2, 2.5,
3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 and 5.5mm.
 Works with .022 & .018 bracket system.
Photo – Leone Catalog
Bracket Holder
 It holds any type of bracket from a wide twin to a single one.
 Reverse action type handle which on pressing the handle
open-up the beaks.
 Beaks are diamond shaped with serrations to grip the
bracket.
 Flat end of the handle used to press the bracket into position
for bonding.
Curved Bracket Holder
 Serrated Tips
 Use – Lingual Bracket placement

Photo – iXion Catalog

Modified Bracket Positioning
Holder
 Combined Gauge with Bracket Holding
Forcep

Photo – Contm. Clini. Dentistry

Lingual Bracket & Tube Holder
 Reverse Action
 Curved Beaks help in unobstructed placement
 Use – For placement of Lingual Brackets,
Tubes and Attachments

Photo – iXion Catalog

Orthodontic Bracket Card
 It is used to organize and hold orthodontic brackets to facilitate quick
bracket placement.
 Each circle on the card corresponds to a particular tooth in the mouth.
 Brackets are placed corresponding to the tooth to be bonded.
Ligature
Instrument
s
Mosquito Forceps
 Types
 Straight
 Curved
 Use
 Placing Elastic Ligature
 Tightening Wire Ligature

Photo – iXion Catalog

Mathieu Plier
 Locking And Spring Back
Mechanism
 Serrated tips
 Types
 TC tip
 Straight
 Curve
 RMOrtho
 Wide
 Hole
 Shape
 Mini
 Standard
 Narrow

Photo – iXion Catalog

Coon Style Ligature
 ‘Y’shaped tip
 Tie long Ligature into figure of 8

Photo – Dentsply Catalog

Speedo Ligature Director
 DoubleEnded
 Removing and Placing Ligature
Twister
 Twisting Ligature wire

Photo – Dental USA Catalog

 Ligature Tucker
 Types
 Single end
 Double
 Use – To Tuck cut end of Ligature
Straight Shooter Ligature Gun
 Thermoplastic Material

 Types
 Mini Bracket Shooter
 Twin Bracket Shooter

 Use – Elastomeric to
Edgewise Bracket
Cutter
Hard Wire Cutter
 Hard wire cutters have hard metal tips or tungsten carbide
tips.
 These are heavier and larger than the pin and ligature
cutters.
 These are used to cut all wires up to 0.020" round
 Manu’s Heavy Wire Cutter’s
 Heavy gauge side cutters.
 They are capable of cutting wires of up to
1.3 mm diameter.
 Laboratory purpose
Face Bow Bending / Cutting
Plier
 The face bow bending pliers are ideal for bending and cutting
the outer bows of a face bow.
 These can be used to bend wires up to a diameter of 1.8 mm.
Distal End Cutter
 The distal end cutter is capable of cutting arch wires up to
0.56 x 0.70 mm/ .022" x .028 " both intraoral and extra oral
 Use - Exclusively for cutting the distal end of wire protruding
out of the molar tubes
 It had a ‘safety’ mechanism to hold the cut arch wire so it
does not fall into the patients mouth.

Photo – Hu-Friedy Catalog

Distal End Cutter Angulated
 45 ° and 90˚ angled cutting tips
 For Posterior Areas
Lingual Distal End Cutter
 Used to cut distal end in lingual orthodontics

Photo – Hu-Friedy Catalog

Kruz Distal End Cutter
 Similar to distal end cutter
 Difference - Designed with long body so it can reach back
into depth of mouth
Pin & Ligature Cutter - PLC
 Stainless steel or Tungsten carbide
 Right to the tip, for smooth cutting of
soft ligature wires and lock pins and
elastomerics
 Ligatures up to 0.015mm in diameter
 Types
 Mini
 Micro Mini
 Micro Mini 15 degree
Debonding
Instrument
s
 Bracket & Adhesive Removing
Pliers
 Use - for removing bonded brackets.
 The wide tips wedge between both the edges of the base of the
bracket and the tooth surface(incisal-gingival direction), easily
lifting off the bracket.
 Types
 Straight
 60° angled tip
 Anterior debonding plier is also used for removal of adhesive
remanant on enamel surface after bracket debonding
 Kurz Lingual Bracket
Removing Plier
 It is designed to fit the design of lingual brackets under the lingual hooks
and bite turbos.
 This instrument incorporates a state of the art spring mechanism to
improve durability and has an increased arm radius to allow for better
movement.
 Use - to removal of lingual brackets and bite turbos.
Clasp
Forming
Instrument
s
 Clasp Forming Instruments

Adam’s Plier
 Hard stainless steel with or without TC tip
 Beaks - two smooth rectangular beaks
 The distance between hinge pin and the tips of the beaks is
short
 The sides of the beaks are flat
 Edges of the grasping surface of the beaks are sharp and
textured
 Inner surfaces - Not polished for better grip
 Use – For fabrication of the Adam's clasp
Adam’s Clasp Bending Plier
 Special pliers for easy forming of Adams' clasps in one step.
 Used for wires up to the diameter of 1 mm.
Arrow Clasp Bending Plier
 Arrow clasp bending pliers are used to bend the arrow clasp
 Used for wires up to the diameter of 0.7 mm.
Arrow Clasp Former
 Arrow clasp former is used for hard wires up to
0.7mm/0.028".
 Use - forms the clasp of the shape and small stops in the
arch wire
Adam’s Spring Forming
Plier
 Beaks - One beak is rounded and other is square/flat ended.
 Use - to adjust springs on orthodontic removable appliances
and to smooth and contour arch wires
 Up to 0.7mm
 Swartz Plier
 Clasp Forming
 0.028” or 0.7mm Wire

Photo – iXion Catalog

Arch
Forming
Instrument
s
Bird Beak Plier
 Stainless Steel
 Beaks – Pyramid Shape
 Use – Utility Plier,Up to 0.030”/0.76mm,
Round Wire

Photo – iXion Catalog

Light Wire Plier
 Beaks – Long and Tapered
 Types
 Smooth
 Serrated
 Use - up to 0.5mm/0.020”
 Arch Form & Spring Preparation

Photo – iXion Catalog

Jarabak Plier
 Modificationof Light Wire Plier
 Precision Groove

Photo – Hu-Friedy Catalog

Howe Plier
 Lip Shape

 Types
 Straight
 Curved

Photo – iXion Catalog

Weingart Plier
 Serrated tips
 Use – Placement of Archwire
 Up to 0.020”/0.5mm

Photo – iXion Catalog

Tweed Plier
 Serratedtips
 Use – Edgewise Technique
 Stoppage
 Bends

Photo – iXion Catalog

Three Jaw Plier
3 tips
 Up to 0.030”
 Use
 Activation of quad Helix
 Bends in Lingual bar and Wire

Photo – iXion Catalog

Lingual Arch Plier
 Use – Double and Triple Back Bends

Photo – iXion Catalog

Turret
 The wire slotted body is made of stainless steel
 It is used for preparation of arch wires with or without torque
adjustment.
 It is available in six different versions and colors – Blue, Black, Gold,
Silver, Purple, Green.
Turret – Blue
It is used for forming rectangular arch
wires.
.016’’ to .0215’’

Turret – Black
It is used for forming rectangular arch
wires with torque adjustments :
00 – 100 – 160 – 230
For use only with wire : .016’’ x .022’’
Turret – Gold
It is used for forming rectangular arch
wires with torque adjustments :
00 – 70 – 100 - 130 – 160
For use only with wire : .018’’

Turret – Silver
It is used for forming rectangular arch
wires with torque adjustments :
00 – 100 – 160 – 230
For use only with wire : .022’’
Turret – Purple
It is used for forming rectangular arch
wires with torque adjustments :
00 – 100 – 160 - 230
For use only with wire : .016” x .016”
Turret – Green
It is used for forming round arch
wires For use only with wire : .014” -
.016” - .018” - .020”
De La Rosa Contouring Pliers
 Guiding grooves for forming round and square arches 0.016",
0.018", 0.020" and 0.022".
 Use - helps to accentuate the curvature in the arch wire.
Hook Crimping Plier
 Designed to crimp stops, hooks and posts to archwire

Photo – Dentsply Catalog

V Bending Plier
 1mm V bend

Photo – iXion Catalog

Rose Torquing Plier
 Used In Pair
 To give Labial or Lingual Torque

Photo – Dentsply Catalog

Loop
Forming
Instrument
s
Young’s Loop Forming Plier
 Stainless Steel with Tungsten Carbide Tips

 It can be used for wires up to the diameter of 1 mm

 Use – To form loops

 Nance Loop Forming Plier
 Steps
 3mm
 4mm
 5mm
 6mm
 Use – Round and
Rectangular Wire
 Up to 0.7mm/ 0.028”

Photo – iXion Catalog

 Tweed Plier
 Beak – One Cylindrical & Concave Beak

 Use
 Multiple Loops
 Omega Loops

Photo – iXion Catalog

Omega Loop Forming Plier
 Electro-etched Beak
 Steps
 0.045”
 0.060”
 0.075”
 Use – Up to 0.021” x 0.028”
 Round
 Omega Loop

Photo – Dentsply Catalog

Loop Tie Back Plier
 Steps
 2mm
 3mm
 4mm
 5mm
 Use – Closing loops are made
to desired heights
 Optical Plier
 Beak – One Round & Concave Beak

 Use
 Stop in Wire
 Loop Tie Back
 Gable Bend

Photo – iXion Catalog

Measuring
Instrument
s
Dontrix Gauge
 Stainless Steel

 Measures Orthodontic
Forces
Correx Gauge
 Measures Orthodontic
Forces
 Measure and calibrate the
pressure or force required
Vernier Scale
 Originated in Ancient
China

 Measures Orthodontic
Forces
Repair of
Instrument
s
Repair
 Blunt Tips
 Distorted plane of Joint
 Gap between contact surface of beaks
 Beveled edges
 Worn Beak

Image – Competitor Repair

Maintenance
of
Instruments
Maintenance
 Handle Gently
 Avoid Mishandling
 Discard corroded instruments
 Check beaks regularly
 Use for the prescribed purpose
 Lubricate Joints before sterilization
 Dry instruments before sterilization
Sterilizatio
n
Sterilization
 Pre Cleaning
 Instrument Washer
 Ultrasonic cleaner
 Chemiclave
 Autoclove
References
 The Design, Construction and Use of Removable Orthodontic
Appliances (5th ed) – C. Philip Adams
 Modified Bracket Positioning Holder – Contemporary Clinical
Dentistry, April 2011 Vol-2 Issue-2 – Dr Nandish Shetty
 Textbook Of Orthodontics (2nd Ed) – Gurkeerat Singh
 Catalog
 TP orthodontics
 iXion
 Leone
 Dentarum
 3M Unitek
 American Orthodontics
 Dentsply
Thank You