1975 • ESTHER MAE WILKINS • BALANCED EXPLORER
Esther Wilkins, an icon in the dental hygiene industry, wanted an instrument that could more easily detect calculus than the existing #17 Explorer, including detection in the subgingival area. At that time, the #17 Explorer had a more pronounced bend in the terminal shank and was primarily used to detect caries. Wilkins reached out to Richard Saslow, the owner of Hu-Friedy, and requested the terminal shank be straightened in order to make detection of calculus easier, especially in deeper pockets. The key design improvement was to place the small end of the instrument “in line” with the handle of the instrument, allowing for enhanced entrance to and exploration of narrow periodontal pockets. This design also enhanced the tactile sensitivity to subgingival calculus deposits, caries and overhangs. Wilkins described it as a balanced explorer design in her textbook, “Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist” which is in its eleventh edition.
Active part-code: EXTU176
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