Four Handed Dentistry - Amalgam Carrier

I was never comfortable delivering amalgam - I'd always get it in the ear "don't be a girl about it!"

Hi for the amalgam carrier i would hand it over trigger end 1st then its easier for the dentist to place in the cavity.
I have also placed the amalgam in the cavity i suppose its up to the dentist but the best thing to do is speak to the BADn or the GDC about it.

There are very few courses around and proved difficult to find. Your dentist can teach you I believe and you can become competent that way.

are you qualified in suture removal? if so where did you do your training? thanks

Many thanks, will try that technique. Are we, as DNs, allowed to insert the amalgam into the cavity? It's been a grey area for some years in the practices I've worked in so I'm unsure of the exact guidelines/standards. If I can remove sutures with sharpscissors - a patient flinched the other week while I was millimetres away from their soft tissues - I'm sure I can be trusted to insert amalgam, or maybe I'm wrong!

Hi,
I actually place the amalgam into the cavity for the dentist. No need to pass instruments at all this way. But if it's a difficult place for me to get to I would take the packer from him with my left hand between my first and middle finger then pass it to my right hand ready to pass straight back. Same then with the carrier. Hope this helps.

Hi, having trouble with four handed dentistry and in particular the amalgam carrier. Usually I would retrieve an instrument from the non-working end with my little finger, but since the dentist's fingers are in the way from dispensing the amalgam I'm not sure on the right way to retrieve. Should I be retrieving from the working end of the carrier and then ready to pass the plugger with the same hand in a similar way to normal instrument exchange? It's the only instrument causing confusion... so far!

Any info appreciated.

Iain