ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
tooth cutting hand instrument - CORRECT ANSWER - instrument that removes tooth
structure
nontooth cutting hand instrument - CORRECT ANSWER - instrument used to feel tooth
structures and place and shape materials
mouth mirror (#5) - CORRECT ANSWER - exploring and diagnostic instrument; indirect
vision and retraction of soft tissue; part of basic exam setup
explorer - CORRECT ANSWER - exploring and diagnostic instrument; double ended
instrument for evaluating gaps and junctions to feel tooth and existing restoration; part of basic
exam setup; shepherd's hook (#23) and short angled (#17); if checking for caries, can damage
tooth structure and move destructive bacteria to uninfected grooves
periodontal probe - CORRECT ANSWER - exploring and diagnostic instrument; used to
measure gingival sulcus of pocket in mm; part of basic exam setup; used to feel tooth structure
isolation - CORRECT ANSWER - mechanical method of keeping tooth separated from oral
environment; critical for quality of restorations; exclude contaminants from tooth preparations,
excludes microorganisms from tooth preparations, and keeps tongue out of way
cotton pliers - CORRECT ANSWER - isolating instrument; place cotton rolls which retract
tissue and absorb moisture; part of basic exam setup
suction device - CORRECT ANSWER - isolating instrument; low and high speed suction
,enamel hatchet - CORRECT ANSWER - cutting instrument; two sizes; 1.0 and 1.5 mm wide;
used to cleave enamel and cut dentin; work by planing up and down parallel to the surface being
cut or smoothed
gingival margin trimmer - CORRECT ANSWER - cutting instrument; pair of angled
instruments that smooth and puts a bevel on a preparation; one is angled to reach mesial of tooth
and the other is for the distal
distal marginal trimmer - CORRECT ANSWER - type of gingival margin trimmer; two ends
both have the point aiming away from the handle but a different curvature; allows you to scrape
in one direction, flip instrument, and scrape in other direction;
cutting instrument;
mesial marginal trimmer - CORRECT ANSWER - type of gingival margin trimmer; on both
ends, the point aims toward the handle; two ends have bevels on opposite sides and both are
designed to be used on the mesial side of the tooth;
cutting instrument;
spoon excavator (C38/39) - CORRECT ANSWER - instrument that easily removes dentin that
becomes soft and leathery; little round spoon at each end
PICH instrument - CORRECT ANSWER - for base and liner placement; placing instrument-
calcium hydroxide; has a little ball on the end of angled instrument
cord packer - CORRECT ANSWER - for gingival retraction; special braided cord is pushed
into gingival sulcus; rounded, flat packer; double ended instrument with blades at right angle to
each other; used to push gingival away from area where you are working, without damaging the
tissue
condenser - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration; condenses amalgam into
preparation; two types
, small amalgam condenser (PLG2T) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration;
double ended instrument with nib on each side and being a different size; used to start
condensing to get in all little spaces in the prep
large amalgam condenser (PGL1/2) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration;
double ended and has third and fourth largest condenser nibs; use this one to finish condensing
football burnisher (BB 2/29) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration; pre-carve
burnish; football end ensures margins of prep are filled solidly and starts the process of shaping
the restoration to look like a tooth; other end is beaver tail
interproximal carver (UF C-7) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration; double
ended blade with mirror image blades, this gently removes excess amalgam in between the teeth;
first step of carving the amalgam, which means to shape the restoration until it reproduces the
original lost tooth structure
cleioid discoid carver (90B and 3/6) - CORRECT ANSWER - double ended instruments,
identical except for size of ends; rounded end is discoid end while turtle shaped pointed on is
cleoid end; large one is primarily carving instrument for amalgam;
used in amalgam restoration;
PKT burnisher (MCG 3) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in amalgam restoration; post carve
burnish to carve amalgam; smooths margins and emphasize anatomy
composite instrument (PF-3) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in composite restoration; double
ended instrument; thicker cord packer on one end and small condenser on other; titanium nitride
gives gold color to help with stickiness of composite; plugger end used to carry material to tooth
and flat blade used to shape and smooth
acorn burnisher (BB 21 or BB216) - CORRECT ANSWER - used in composite restoration;
double ended instrument known as anatomic burnisher; large and small end used in either
amalgam or composite; contouring and creating occlusal anatomy