Mini-blade Gracey's curettes

In recent years, modifications and advancements have abounded in hand instrument design. To chronicle these advancements, this will be the first in a series on the design and use of some of the most innovative and effective developments in hand instruments.
Mini-bladed Gracey curets are modifications of the extended shank Gracey curets. Their terminal shanks are 3 mm longer and their blades are thinner and half the length of standard and extended shank Gracey curets. The shorter, thinner blade allows easier insertion and adaptation in deep, narrow pockets; furcations; developmental depressions; line angles; and deep, tight pockets on facial, lingual, or palatal surfaces. In areas where root morphology or tight tissue prevent full insertion of the standard or extended shank Gracey blade, the mini-bladed Gracey curets can be used with vertical strokes, with minimal tissue distention, and without tissue trauma.
Mini-bladed Gracey curets have substantially improved the degree to which deep subgingival deposits of calculus and biofilm can be removed. This is due to superior access and adaptation of their blades to anatomical contours exposed by moderate to severe clinical attachment loss. In the past, the only solution in difficult-to-access areas was to use standard Gracey curets with a short, toe-down, horizontal stroke.
Micro mini-bladed Gracey curets are the latest modification of mini-bladed Gracey curets. They are now being used in Germany and are not currently available in the United States . These instruments are half the size of the currently available mini-bladed Gracey curets. They allow better access to furcations and very tight, narrow pockets and are ideal for subgingival use with the dental endoscope. This trend toward miniaturization of instruments facilitates non-surgical treatment of areas that were previously difficult or impossible to reach with standard hand instruments.