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Contra-angle attachment
Also called: contra-angle, latch-type angle, RA attachment
A bent attachment for the slow-speed motor that holds latch-type burs at an angle.
The contra-angle clicks onto the low-speed motor. Its bend lets the bur reach back teeth. It usually holds latch-type burs (burs with a notch at the end of the shank). Some contra-angles reduce or increase speed (for example a 2:1 reducing ratio halves the speed).
How to spot it
- Bent body with a head that looks like a small high-speed head, but it fits onto the motor instead of the hose.
- A latch on the back of the head opens to load the bur.
What it is used for
- Removing soft decay, polishing, and adjusting restorations.
Safety and care
- Semicritical item (it touches the inside of the mouth): clean it, package it and heat-sterilize it after every patient.
Related
Sources: W&H Dentalwerk. Reports and studies: handpiece types and speeds, CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17)