Page 303 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

Chapter 15 Dental Skills for the Veterinary Assistant 287

oil, cotton tip applicator, gauze sponge, plastic test stick,
and a clock. Other helpful equipment includes a magni-
fying glass. To sharpen an instrument, place a drop of oil
on the surface of the stone and gently spread it with a
cotton tip applicator in a small circular shape. Grasp the
instrument in your non‐dominant hand, with your index
finger or thumb braced near the shank to counter‐
balance the pressure caused by the sharpening motion.
Hold the stone in your dominant hand, with your thumb
on the edge towards you and your fingers on the edge
away from you. This grasp will stabilize the stone. It is
helpful to use the numbers on a clock to position the
instrument correctly and the stone for sharpening.
Using the clock as a guide, hold the instrument vertically
with the blade to be sharpened at 6 o’clock. Hold the
stone initially at 12 o’clock, then angle it to meet the
angle of the cutting edge on the instrument. Move your
entire arm in an up and down motion when sharpening.
One can move either the stone or the instrument to
sharpen the edge. When the edge has been sharpened
FIGURE 15.6 Tooth splitter and extraction forceps – left to right: incisor/ you can take the conical stone and gently remove any
canine, premolar, molar. metal shards from the cutting surface.

TIP BOX 15.1
Preparation of Dental Instruments
There are many helpful dental instrument sharpening
videos available. View http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y
Dental instruments that would be used together can be UwG0EzyqDY.
packaged together in autoclavable pouches or in trays.
For example, an oral examination package would
include the scaler, curettes, periodontal explorer, probe,
tartar removal forceps, and mirror. An extraction
package or tray would include the luxator, elevators, and Reflection
extraction forceps. A periosteal elevator, needle holders, How do you see yourself learning to sharpen
and scissor would be packaged separately as would instruments?
packets of gauze sponges. These instruments are put
into the autoclave with a sterilization indicator and gen-
erally, because they are not thick, will sterilize at the
minimum setting of 15 psi, 15 minutes at 250°F. Power Scalers

Sharpening Hand Instruments There are two types of powered dental instruments that
can be used to clean teeth. Both of these scalers require
Sharp instruments can make the dental cleaning more water during use to prevent thermal damage to the
efficient, because they reduce fatigue, improve calculus tooth. A properly adjusted water flow will create a fine
removal, and save time. A veterinary assistant should learn halo of mist to ensure that the scaling tip is properly
how to sharpen hand instruments properly. To check an cooled. Water must be constantly pumped through the
instrument for sharpness, a hard‐plastic test stick can be handpiece to not only keep it cool, but to cool the tip as
used. A sharp instrument will grab or bite into the test well. Without water the tip can become damaged. Be
stick while a dull instrument will slide along. These can be sure to read the equipment manual for the scaler to
purchased where dental instruments are sold. Sharpness ensure proper use and maximize the equipment’s life
can also be determined by visually inspecting the instru- and effectiveness.
ment. Hold the instrument under a light and rotate the The ultrasonic scalers convert high frequency
instrument until the edge is facing the light. A dull cutting electrical current into mechanical vibrations. It can have
edge will reflect light when it has been rounded from use. either a magnetostrictive insert handpiece that contains
The equipment needed to sharpen instruments tightly stacked metal sheets, or a ferrite rod insert that
includes a flat Arkansas stone, conical stone, sharpening creates the vibrations. These vibrations knock the tartar