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Periodontal curettes: focus on Gracey curettes

Periodontal curettes are used in non-surgical periodontal therapy, to treat the patient’s early stages of periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis.

These double-ended dental hand instruments are made of medical grade stainless steel. They are designed to remove bacterial plaque and calculus from supragingival and subgingival tooth surfaces. Meticulous scaling and root planing with curettes has been scientifically proven to be very effective to improve periodontal health.

 

There are two categories of periodontal curettes: universal curettes and Gracey curettes.

A universal curette is designed to adapt to all teeth surfaces in all areas of the mouth. A Gracey curette, also called area-specific curette, adapts to a precise area of the teeth.

Gracey curettes: function, design and technique

Numbers and uses

There are 9 types of traditional Gracey curettes. Each of them is designed to access particular areas of the mouth and particular surfaces of the teeth. 

  • Gracey 7/8: for molars and premolars, buccal and lingual surfaces

  • Gracey 9/10: for molars and premolars, buccal and lingual surfaces

The difference between two Gracey curettes dedicated to the same area and surfaces is the shape of their shank and the length of their working end. Which one the dentist or dental hygienist will choose is a matter of ergonomics, complementarity and personal preference.

For instance, a Gracey 5/6 enables a better position of the wrist than a Gracey 3/4 and a deeper access to periodontal pockets than a Gracey 1/2. The design of a Gracey 7/8 is more comfortable than a Gracey 9/10, for both the practitioner and the patient.

The same goes with a Gracey 11/12, which is often handier than a Gracey 15/16. A Gracey 17/18 is particularly suited to access the last molars. Thus, it is complementary to a Gracey 13/14.

Design features

The tips of a Gracey curette are rounded to avoid damaging the soft tissue. On each working end, there is one cutting edge.

The blade is at a 70-degree angle to the lower shank. This feature gives the instrument a lower cutting edge, to access periodontal pockets safely.

On the other hand, a universal curette has two cutting edges on each working end and the blade is perpendicular to the shaft.

Technique

Once you are well positioned next to the patient, hold the Gracey curette in a modified-pen grasp. Position the cutting edge of the curette against the tooth. The lower shank must remain parallel to the tooth surface. For scaling, apply moderate pressure. For root planing, apply lighter lateral pressure. Depending on the surface that is being treated, the strokes should be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.

Classic Gracey curettes vs. Deep, Mini, Nano, Rigid and Diamond-coated

Deppeler manufactures the complete set of Classic Gracey curettes, with utmost attention to details, to offer dentists and dental hygienists the finest instruments, very effective cutting edges and high-tactile feedback.

To complete the Classic range and meet special needs, Deppeler created 5 variations of its 5/6, 7/8, 11/12 and 13/14 Gracey curettes: Deep, Mini, Nano, Rigid and Diamond-coated.

  • Rigid: The Deppeler Rigid Gracey curettes have identical blades to the Classic range but larger shafts. This shape enables to apply more pressure and remove heavier calculus on the tooth surface.
  • Deep: The Deppeler Deep Gracey curettes have longer shafts and an adapted angulation, specifically designed to treat deep pockets.
  • Mini: The Deppeler Mini Gracey curettes have shorter and thinner blades, optimal shaft and blade curvature, to closely match root profile and irregularities and minimize the risk of damaging the soft tissue.
  • Nano: The Deppeler Nano Gracey curettes have very short and thin blades, to adapt to the smallest unevenness of the roots. They enable gentle and easy access to all areas, especially in the aftercare phase.
  • Diamond-coated: The Deppeler Diamond-coated Gracey curettes are meant to polish the root surface after using traditional Gracey curettes, in order to favor the attachment of periodontal ligament fibroblasts, without microbial adhesion.

Sharpening Gracey curettes

Just as scalers and universal curettes, the blade of a Gracey curette must be regularly sharpened to remain effective. 

To preserve the instrument, the blade should be placed correctly on the sharpening stone, at the right angle, so as not to damage the cutting edge when sharpening.

Three key points to keep in mind:

  1. Position yourself in the right axis
  2. Check the position of the blade on the stone
  3. Sharpen with the right movement

First, sit comfortably with your elbows resting on a table. Hold the sharpening stone lengthwise with one hand, between your thumb and your index. Position the stone in front of you, with your eyes looking at the surface of the stone. This position will enable you to make sure that the curette is correctly positioned and that the angle between the blade and the stone is right.

The blade should be placed flat on the stone, with an angle of 30-40 degrees between the lower shank and the stone. Even with a trained eye, it isn’t simple to maintain a precise angle. That is why we have developed the Easy Sharp Coach, which can be easily clipped on the sharpening stone to help you get the right position (watch the demo video).

Once your posture and the Gracey curette’s placement are good, hold the stone fixed in your hand and sharpen the instrument with your other hand, always along the blade. Sharpen back and forth lengthwise, while rotating gently the handle between your fingers.