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Increasing Productivity by Effective Use of Four-Handed Dentistry – Part 3: Instrument Transfer Technique
Use of Non-Locking Tissue Forceps

Course Author(s): Betty Ladley Finkbeiner, CDA-Emeritus, BS, MS

Use of Non-Locking Tissue Forceps

  • If non-locking forceps are used, the assistant must maintain a grasp on the forceps to ensure the beaks do not separate during transfer.
  • After the material to be transferred has been placed into the forceps beaks the forceps are paralleled with the used instrument that is to be exchanged (Figure 31a).
  • The instrument is exchanged in the same manner as other instruments (Figure 31b).
  • When the forceps are returned to the assistant, the working end of the forceps is grasped in the palm of the hand to eliminate dropping the contents (Figure 31c).
  • The forceps are not rolled back into position, but rather the assistant discards the materials from the forceps and returns the instrument to the tray.
Figure 31a.
use of non-locking forceps
Figure 31b.
use of non-locking forceps
Figure 31c.
use of non-locking forceps
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