Periodontics

Periodontics — Student Section

Periodontal treatment starts with removing plaque and calculus from the tooth and root surface, and this category holds the hand instruments a student needs for that in the perio posting. It splits simply into scalers for the crown and supragingival surface, and curettes for below the gum.

Hand scalers

Scalers have a pointed tip and are used above the gum line, on the crown and just below the margin, to lift off supragingival calculus.

• The GDC Perio Scalers Set of 8 (PSP8) is a double-ended hand-scaler set covering the common blade shapes for routine full-mouth scaling.
• For a smaller starter set, the GDC Manipal Scaler Set of 3 (MS3) covers the core scalers a first posting needs.

Gracey curettes

Curettes have a rounded toe and a single cutting edge, so they slide under the gum without cutting the soft tissue — the instrument for subgingival scaling and root planing.

Gracey curettes are area-specific: each number is angled for a particular group of tooth surfaces. The colour-coded GDC Gracey Curettes S/7 are quick to identify on a crowded tray.

The GDC Gracey Curettes S/9 (10 mm) cover a different set of posterior surfaces, so the two numbers together reach more of the mouth.

Soft-tissue and chairside instruments

Two general instruments in the category support minor procedures and restorative work.

The GI surgical scissors trim soft tissue and cut sutures during minor periodontal surgery, and a GI cement carrier is stocked alongside for placing cement in restorative work.

Stain removal

For extrinsic stain from tea, coffee or tobacco, the Mdm Tooth Stain Remover cleans surface discolouration as part of a hygiene appointment.

Why buy these for the perio posting

A hand instrument is gripped for a full session and worked against calculus, so a student is really buying an edge that cuts cleanly and a shank that stays rigid across the clinical year.

Every listing gives the set count and the instrument type, so a perio kit can be matched to the department's instrument list rather than bought as an oversized bundle. The kits for other subjects sit in the wider Student Section.

What is in the periodontics category for dental students?

This category holds the hand instruments used for scaling and root planing during a periodontics posting: GDC double-ended hand scalers, the GDC Manipal scaler set, GDC Gracey curettes in the S/7 and S/9 numbers, surgical scissors and a cement carrier, and a tooth stain remover. It is the core instrument set for supragingival and subgingival debridement.

What is the difference between a scaler and a curette?

A scaler has a pointed tip and two cutting edges, used above the gum line to remove supragingival calculus from the crown. A curette has a rounded toe and is used below the gum for subgingival scaling and root planing, because its blunt end slides along the root without cutting the pocket lining. A full debridement uses both.

What is a Gracey curette used for?

A Gracey curette is used for subgingival root planing. It has a single cutting edge and an offset blade angled for a specific group of tooth surfaces, so it reaches under the gum and smooths the root without traumatising the soft tissue. The numbers, such as S/7 and S/9, are each ground for different areas of the mouth.

How should students look after their scalers and curettes?

Keep the cutting edges sharp with a sharpening stone, because a dull scaler burnishes calculus instead of removing it and makes the student press harder. Rinse and sterilise the instruments after every use, and store them so the tips are protected. A sharp, well-kept set lasts the full clinical year.

Are these instruments genuine?

Yes. The GDC, GI and Mdm instruments here are original stock in the maker's packaging. For hand instruments this is worth checking, because the blade steel and the way the edge is ground decide how long a scaler or curette stays sharp — a weaker copy dulls fast and starts burnishing calculus instead of removing it.