Orthodontic pliers are essential tools; it will be tough to do your job if you do not have one when you need it.
However, while one type may be effective in bending wires, it may not be effective for crimping, contouring, band removal, and bond removal. Therefore, having one orthodontic plier in your clinic will sound okay until you realize that one can't handle all your tasks.
To be fully prepared to take care of your patients—for example, when installing tongue tamers for open bite treatment—you may want to know the different types of orthodontic pliers. You may also want to know when to use what type.
This detailed guide will answer all your questions about orthodontic pliers. Let's Jump right in!
Types of Orthodontic Pliers
Orthodontic pliers are commonly classified based on the roles they play. In most cases, a well-stocked orthodontic office will include the following pliers:
1. Band Removing Pliers
You will need this plier to remove supports, adhesives, and bands from the patient's teeth surface. This pair of pliers features a blade on one end while the other has an occlusal pad that supports your patient's tooth while you activate the pliers.
2. Bracket Removing Pliers
As the name suggests, you will need this plier to remove teeth brackets. These pliers feature long tips, allowing orthodontists to access the posterior teeth' surface.
3. Contouring Pliers
If your digital x-ray machine shows that your patient has misaligned teeth or a sizeable gap between their teeth, a molar band can help you fix these issues. However, to install the molar band, you will need contouring pliers.
Contouring pliers adapt to the patient's crown and are perfect for contouring and forming the molar bands. They feature a slotted tip that allows precise grip—this tip offers a firm grip, reducing the risk of scratching the NiTi archwires while bending them for contouring. These pliers are also known as cinch-back pliers.
4. Hollow Pliers
You will need hollow pliers while contouring and remodeling to create palatine arches. The tips on this orthodontic plier combine a convex and concave arrangement, making the remodeling process more manageable.
5. Specialized Pliers
These pliers are adapted to perform specific tasks. A good example here would be the crimpable hook plier (CHP). The crimpable hook plier features an angled head design and assists with the placement and securing of power and archiwire hooks.
Medical Terms Used with Different Types of Orthodontic Pliers
Most of the orthodontic pliers we have mentioned above tend to come with specialized names. Some names you will come across while shopping for the pliers to use during procedures like maxillary skeletal expansion include:
1. Adams Pliers
As its name suggests, you will need the Adams pliers while formulating the Adams clasp. A research article published in 2014 notes that the Adams clasp plays an extremely vital role as a retentive tool or component in orthodontics.
The Adams pliers feature two rectangular breaks, both blunt and smooth. They have a short distance between the beak tips. The hinge is short, while the grasping surface edges tend to be sharp. The beak's inner surface offers maximum grip on the wire, ensuring that the NiTi heat-activated archwires are not slipping from the pliers.
2. Arrow Clasp Pliers
These pliers are available in two varieties— arrow clasp forming and arrow clasp bending pliers. They bend the arrow clasp on the orthodontic wire, allowing the arrowhead to engage the undercuts. You will use these pliers with wires up to 0.7 mm in diameter.
3. Birdbeak Plier
You will need this pair of pliers for wires with a diameter of up to 0.76 mm. The plier's round beak is cone-shaped, with its working edges beveled to prevent wire scoring. The pliers play a crucial role when adjusting retainers.
4. Nance Loop Forming Pliers
When adjusting pre-shaped arches for fixed orthodontic appliances, you will need this pair of pliers. It features a 4-step beak which plays a crucial role in bending round and rectangular wires.
The pair of pliers' working edges are beveled to reduce the risk of wire damage. Nance loop forming pliers can bend wires of up to a diameter of 0.7 mm.
5. Tweed Pliers
The tweed plier features concave beaks that carry parallel serrations. These beaks hold the wires at an angle of 90 degrees while you are working to form your loops. The pair of pliers feature an electro-etched cylindrical beak that prevents wire spillage.
6. Howe Pliers
You will find this pair of pliers in two variations—the curved Howe pliers and the straight Howe pliers. The straight Howe pliers feature long, slender safe tips—these utility pliers aid in archwire holding. Straight Howe pliers have a unique design that makes them perfect for anterior seating bands.
The curved Howes pliers feature long, slender safe tips. However, the beaks are curved at a 40-degree angle to offer you better access to the posterior areas.
7. Mathieu Pliers
Featuring short beaks carrying serrations for grasping ligature wire, Mathieu Pliers have a 3-step locking system that makes the instrument extraordinarily effective and efficient. The locking mechanism allows you to open and close the device very quickly.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Orthodontic Pliers
If you are heading to the market to acquire some orthodontic pliers, consider the following factors to get top-quality gear:
Ensure the pliers are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel
Rounded tips improve the patient's safety and comfort during the orthodontic procedure
Confirm the instruments have serrations that grip the orthodontic wire securely
Get a pair that has bow-out handles for comfortable handling
Ensure the pliers can be sterilized quickly and effectively
Ensure your ligature cutter plier can withstand the stress of cutting and bending wires without deforming or wearing out
Overview
A pair of pliers is one of the most important companions for an orthodontist. Pliers perform numerous tasks, from archwire work like contouring and forming to placing stops on the archwires.
However, for each of these tasks, you will need a particular type of plier—one cannot handle all tasks. Our guide today discusses the various types of pliers you may want to add to your clinic. Moreover, we have outlined tips to help you choose the right tool.
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