Category: Procedure | Difficulty: Basic | Priority: Nice-to-know
A sharp-ended dental instrument (typically a No. 23 shepherd's hook) used to tactilely examine tooth surfaces for caries, calculus, and defective restorations.
A small pointed tool the dentist uses to feel for soft spots, rough areas, or cracks on your teeth. In children's appointments often called a 'tooth counter.'
[[no. 23 explorer; shepherd's hook; periodontal probe; diagnostic instrument]]
Differentiate from periodontal probe: explorer detects caries and surface defects; probe measures pocket depths. Pediatric alias: 'tooth counter.'
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