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Posterior sickle scaler (e.g., H6/H7, 204S)
Also called: contra-angle sickle, 204S, H6/H7, Jacquette
A sickle with a bent shank that reaches between back teeth to remove tartar.
The posterior sickle works the same way as the anterior one but its shank is bent (contra-angled) to reach around premolars and molars. It is double-ended, with mirror-image ends for the two sides of a tooth.
How to spot it
- Pointed triangular blade like the anterior sickle, but on a bent shank.
- Double-ended with mirror-image working ends.
- Sickle vs. curette: pointed tip and back vs. rounded toe and back.
What it is used for
- Removes supragingival calculus between back teeth, especially under contacts.
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