Selecting the dental mirror, also called odontological or oral, that best suits your needs is not an easy task. It is a small and highly adaptable instrument, suitable for exploration of the patient's oral cavity and for separating the walls of the mouth, thus widening the field of vision. It consists of three parts: handle, stem and head, which can be purchased individually.
In this article, we show you a guide to types of mirrors and things to consider. But that's not all, we also reveal some tips for the correct maintenance of this dental instrument that will improve your professional life. You can't miss it!
What is the function of Dental Mirrors?
Dental mirrors serve the following functions in dentistry:
- To provide a perfect view of the oral cavity for a good diagnosis.
- To separate the soft tissues (lips, cheeks and tongue) to make the operative field more visible and to carry out a correct exploration and subsequent oral treatment.
- To illuminate the operated areas by reflecting the light from the equipment.
- Make it easier to see in compromised areas.
Applications to consider when choosing your Dental Examination Mirror
Before choosing the type of dental mirror, it is important to consider a number of aspects to further refine your choice.
- Thread type of the dental mirror
- Dental mirror thread type
- Cone Socket (C.S.): Conical thread or American thread. They are the most common and are flat type mirrors.
- Simple Steam (S.S.): European thread or simple thread. They are characterised by being rhodium-plated mirrors.
- The number of the dental mirror.
- Number 2: diameter 5/8 inch.
- Number 4: diameter 7/8 inch.
- Number 5: diameter 15/16 inch.
- The material from which the dental mirrors are made.
- Made of disposable plastic.
- Made of stainless steel: in these mirrors the active part is screwed onto the handle.
- Coating of the dental mirrors
- Mirrors coated on the front side: they provide a much more precise image, which is important for small objects (a tooth, the tip of a probe...). The image is reflected on the front surface.
- Mirrors coated on the reverse side: generate a less precise view of the image and, in addition, it has to pass through the entire thickness of the film to be reflected.
Among the main concerns of dentists are: easy tarnishing, its rapid deterioration and the appearance of scratches. For the former, we have the solution! There are anti-fogging mirrors ideal for ensuring correct vision. To discover the rest of the solutions, you will have to keep reading because, at the end of the article, we tell you all about maintenance!
The lifespan of mirrors is usually shorter than that of the handle. Therefore, it is important to find the type of handle that best suits your needs. They range from ergonomic to anti-slip, thanks to the roughness they have. In addition, it is important to know the type of thread with which they are attached to the mirrors, as this will indicate whether they are compatible or not. There are 2 types: Cone Socket and Cone Steam .
Types of dental mirrors
Once you know all the key aspects of choosing a dental mirror, it is time to select the type that best suits your daily needs. There are different models depending on the material of their reflective surface:
- Dental mirrors with metal reflective surface: they reflect a low-light image.
- Dental mirrors with glass reflective surface: these in turn are divided into:
- Convex-concave: they provide a magnified image which may appear blurred, hazy and poorly illuminated. Therefore, their use is not recommended.
- Flats: are the most commonly used as they allow a clearer and more accurate vision, providing a brighter image. The support structure of the reflective part and the handle can be made of plastic or metal; however, it is recommended to use the metal ones as they do not deteriorate under sterilisation temperatures.
Best rated dental mirrors on Dentaltix
Would you like to know which are the best rated dental mirrors by our customers, we share with you the best ones below...
Plastic Intraoral dental mirrors
Starline disposable dental mirrors offer good image perception for intraoral examinations and general dentistry. They are made of durable plastic material, are very light and have an easy grip, making them very comfortable for the dentist to use.
Features of Intraoral dental mirrors :
- Dental mirror disposable, single use.
- They offer a good perception of the images.
- Designed in resistant plastic.
- They are characterised by their light weight.
- They have an easy grip.
- The products are individually wrapped.
- Ideal for intraoral examinations and general dentistry.
- Content: 100 pcs
