Overview

　　A mouth mirror, or dentist mirror, is a dental instrument. It is a small mirror that fits into a person's mouth and is attached to a long handle. The mouth mirror is one of the most important pieces of dental equipment found in a dental specialist's exam room, although this device can also be used in other occupational areas.

　　Uses of dental mouth mirrors: obtaining an indirect view; retraction; indirect lighting; fluoroscopy.

　　Obtaining an indirect view: Obtaining an indirect view refers to the use of a dental mouthpiece to view tooth surfaces, or intraoral structures, that cannot be seen directly. The operator can see dental instruments in the mouthpiece.

　　Pulling: Pulling refers to the use of the head of the mouthpiece to pull on the patient's cheeks, mucous membranes, or tongue so that the surgeon can see the surfaces of the teeth that are obscured by these soft tissues.

　　Indirect illumination: Indirect illumination refers to the use of a mouthpiece to reflect light onto the surface of a tooth in a dark area of the mouth.

　　Transillumination: Transillumination refers to the technique of using a mouth mirror to reflect light through the front teeth.

　　Tips in the use of dental mouth mirrors: Use one of the following techniques to prevent fogging of the reflective surfaces. Warm the reflective surface of the mouth mirror with the patient's buccal mucosa. Ask the patient to breathe through the nose. Wipe the reflective surface with a special anti-fogging solution. Wipe the reflective surface with moist, sterile gauze. Use a high-speed handpiece or air gun to spray the reflective surface.

　　Precautions in the use of dental mouth mirrors: Avoid hitting the patient's teeth with the mouth mirror. Do not allow the edge of the head of the mouthpiece to press against the patient's gum tissue. The doctor's index finger and thumb can also be used for retraction. When retracting the patient's lips, it is more comfortable for the patient to use finger retraction rather than the mouthpiece.