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Dentistry vocabulary · Extractions, Oral Surgery and Anesthesia

Forceps

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ˈfɔːrseps/nounCommon term

In dentistry, forceps means: A plier-like instrument used to grip a tooth and remove it from its socket. Different designs are made for upper and lower teeth and for each type of tooth.

In Turkish: davye, çekim davyesi

How it is used

Always plural in form: a pair of forceps, the forceps are. Dentists apply the forceps, grip the tooth and use slow, controlled movements. Common types include upper molar, lower molar and root forceps.

Example sentences

  1. Can you pass me the lower molar forceps?

  2. The crown was too broken down to grip with forceps, so we used an elevator first.

Common collocations

  • extraction forceps
  • a pair of forceps
  • upper molar forceps
  • apply the forceps
  • elevatorA hand instrument with a narrow blade that is pushed between a tooth or root and the bone to loosen it, before forceps are used or instead of them.
  • extractionThe removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. A simple one uses forceps and elevators; a surgical one may need a cut in the gum or removal of some bone.
  • sutureA stitch used to close a wound or hold gum tissue in place after surgery. Dissolvable sutures disappear by themselves; others are removed after about a week.
  • local anestheticA drug injected near a tooth or nerve to numb one area of the mouth, so that treatment does not hurt while the patient stays fully awake.

More terms: Extractions, Oral Surgery and Anesthesia

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.