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Dental Stains
Dental Stains
This classification of stain occurs on the external surface of the tooth and can usually be removed by scaling or polishing.
What is an extrinsic stain?
This probing technique requires keeping the probe tip against the tooth surface while moving in short, 1-mm increments without removing the probe from the sulcus.
What is a walking stroke?
This ultrasonic mechanism involves the formation and collapse of microscopic bubbles that disrupt bacterial cell walls.
What is cavitation?
These curets are described as self-angulated, meaning only one cutting edge is designed to be used.
What are area-specific (Gracey) curets?
This method is used to evaluate sharpness by checking for light reflection along the cutting edge.
What is the visual glare test?
This intrinsic stain results from excessive fluoride ingestion during enamel formation and may range from white spots to severe brown pitting.
What is dental fluorosis?
This probe is specifically designed to evaluate furcation involvement using a curved, blunt tip that adapts into the furcal area.
What is the Nabers furcation probe?
This powered scaler type vibrates in a linear motion and operates at higher frequencies than magnetostrictive units.
What is a piezoelectric ultrasonic scaler?
The functional cutting edge of a Gracey curet is always the lower edge when the terminal shank is held perpendicular to the floor.
What is the lower, outer cutting edge (“LOL”)?
During the moving-stone technique, the cutting edge should be sharpened in these sections to maintain the original instrument contour.
What are the heel, middle, and toe thirds of the cutting edge?
This extrinsic stain, most commonly seen on the facial gingival third of maxillary anterior teeth in children, is associated with chromogenic bacteria and poor biofilm control.
What is green stain?
This measurement combines probing depth and gingival recession to assess true periodontal support.
What is clinical attachment loss (CAL)?
This adjustable ultrasonic setting controls the length and strength of the tip’s stroke and increases as the power setting is raised.
What is amplitude?
This curet is specifically designed for posterior teeth on distal surfaces.
What is the Gracey 13/14?
This tactile method uses a plastic or acrylic test stick to determine whether a cutting edge is sharp enough for clinical use.
What is the tactile test stick method?
This prescription antimicrobial rinse (0.12%) is effective against biofilm but is well known for causing tenacious brown staining.
What is chlorhexidine?
This explorer is single-ended with a straight, fine tip and excels at detecting calculus in deep, narrow pockets and furcations.
What is the 3A explorer?
This ultrasonic function delivers fluid to the base of the periodontal pocket to flush debris, microorganisms, and endotoxins during instrumentation.
What is subgingival irrigation (Lavage)?
Proper adaptation of an area-specific curet requires that the instrument face be positioned this way relative to the tooth surface.
What is parallel to the tooth surface?
This Gracey curet is designed for posterior teeth and is used only on mesial surfaces, offering improved access to deeper posterior areas.
What is the Gracey 15/16?
This occurs when an extrinsic stain penetrates enamel defects or exposed dentin and becomes incorporated into the tooth structure.
What is an exogenous intrinsic stain?
When measuring the width of attached gingiva, this anatomical landmark marks the apical boundary of the measurement.
What is the mucogingival junction?
This long-term clinical indicator—not root smoothness—is used to evaluate the success of ultrasonic periodontal debridement at reevaluation appointments.
What is tissue healing (resolution of inflammation)?
During the moving-stone sharpening technique, this angulation range must be maintained between the stone and the instrument face to restore a sharp cutting edge without altering the original design.
What is approximately 70–80 degrees?
A site presents with gingival inflammation and slight bone loss on radiograph. The probing depth measures 5 mm, and the clinician detects the CEJ 2 mm apical to the gingival margin. Based on probing and tactile detection of the CEJ, this value represents the true periodontal support at that site.
What is 3 mm of clinical attachment loss (CAL)?