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Shepherd's hook explorer (#23)
Also called: #23 explorer, shepherd hook, sickle explorer, explorer
A thin, sharp, curved wire tip used to feel tooth surfaces, margins and decay.
An explorer is a fine, flexible, pointed wire that sends tiny vibrations to the fingers, so the dentist can feel rough spots (tactile sensitivity). The #23 shepherd's hook is the classic exam explorer, used above the gumline to check sealants, fillings, margins (the edges of restorations) and possible decay. It is not for measuring anything.
How to spot it
- One end bent into a big hook like a shepherd's staff, ending in a sharp point.
- Usually single-ended, or paired with a probe on the other end.
- Explorer vs. probe: the explorer ends in a sharp point with no markings; a probe is blunt and has millimeter marks.
What it is used for
- Part of the basic exam setup with the mirror and cotton pliers.
- Checks the edges of fillings, crowns and sealants.
- Held with a light grasp so the operator can feel small irregularities.
Safety and care
- Critical item (it goes into soft tissue or touches bone): clean it, package it and heat-sterilize it after every patient.
- Sharp working end: carry it point-down in a closed cassette, and never reach blindly into a pile of instruments.
Related
Sources: Gehrig JS, Shin DE. Fundamentals of Periodontal Instrumentation and Advanced Root Instrumentation, 9th ed. Jones & Bartlett, 2023 (plus Newman & Carranza's Clinical Periodontology), Alharbi H. Periodontal Hand Instruments (lecture handout). King Saud University, 2016-2017, CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17)