There are a huge number of dental instruments. There are instruments for a dental examination, a restoration, endodontic treatment and oral surgery to name a few. These revision notes will cover the basic dental instruments, predominantly for a dental examination. 

Every dental hand instrument has a basic structure: 

• Working end – the part of the instrument that is actively doing a job. It is typically at an angle to the contact surface. 
• Shank – this is the connection between the handle and the working end. It usually has some bends and angles to allow access to different areas in the mouth.
• Handle – this is the portion that is held by the operator.