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Dentistry vocabulary · Instruments and the Dental Clinic

Mouth mirror

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

nounCore term

In dentistry, mouth mirror means: A small round mirror on a handle used to see surfaces that are hard to view directly, reflect light into the mouth and hold the cheek or tongue out of the way.

In Turkish: ağız aynası, dişçi aynası

How it is used

Part of the basic examination kit together with a probe and tweezers, often referred to simply as 'mirror and probe'. Dentists use it for indirect vision when working on upper teeth and lingual surfaces.

Example sentences

  1. Could you pass me another mouth mirror? This one keeps fogging up.

  2. With the mouth mirror I can see a small crack on the back of this tooth.

Common collocations

  • mouth mirror and probe
  • indirect vision
  • front-surface mirror
  • mirror handle
  • probeA thin hand instrument for examining teeth and gums. A periodontal probe has millimeter marks to measure pocket depth; a sharp probe (explorer) checks surfaces and filling margins.
  • check-upA routine visit at which the dentist examines the teeth, gums and mouth to find problems early, often together with X-rays and a cleaning.
  • lingualDescribes the surface of a tooth that faces the tongue. In the upper jaw this surface is usually called palatal, because it faces the palate.
  • open wideA short instruction asking the patient to open the mouth as far as is comfortable, so that the dentist can see and reach the back teeth.

More terms: Instruments and the Dental Clinic

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