Separators – Understanding Placement
Basic Course
Purpose:
- To show different techniques placing separators
- To show different types of separators
Instruments & Materials Needed to Place Separators in Office:
- Brass or Niti Separating Wire
- Elastic Separating Plier
- Floss
- Jarabak Plier
- Safety Knob Separators
Directions:
- Prior to banding, separators must be placed for space to seat molar bands.
- Using Elastic Separating Plier, pull a separator from the wheel.
- Lubricate the separator with spit (not yours!) or fluoride to help seat the separator.
- To remove separators, use an elastic remover for the Safety Knobs and a Jarabak Plier for the Metal Springs.
Note:
- Careful to not stab the patient with the plier, it will happen.
- Elastic separators can be left in 1-2 weeks, Metal Springs are left in for 2-3 days.
- Instruct patient to not floss in these areas and to notify the office if any come out.
- If a separator is missing when the patient returns, verify that it has come out and has not gone sub- gingival.
Step-by-Step:
-
- Instruments & Materials.
-
- Safety Knob Separator.
-
- Placing a Safety Knob Separator.
-
- Two Safety Knob Separators placed to band 1st molar.
-
- Using floss to place Safety Knob Separator. To remove, use Elastic Remover.
-
- Jarabak Plier used to place Metal Separators.
-
- Metal Separating Spring
-
- Inserting Metal Separating Spring.
-
- Insert plier into helix remove the separator.
Check out all of the courses offered by the American Orthodontics Society here.<<