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Salvin Adjustable Torque Wrench: Differences for Upper Teeth?

Last Updated: Sep 23, 2012

I do not have much experience with screw retained implant crowns. Â Most of the crowns I have done are screw retained into the Nobel Biocare Replace select [i.e., UCLA type implant crown which screws directly into the implant fixture]. Â I was advised by my surgical mentor to use Salvin torque wrenches which click when the desired torque level is achieved preventing over-torquing the screw. Â I did find them easy to use and clicked once the torque is achieved. Â All my cases were in lower left hand side. Recently I tried using it on upper right hand side second premolar region. Â I could not tighten the screw using the clock wise movement as they suggest. Â Indeed any direction I moved the wrench ,there was no tightening. Â The screw driver was engaging the screw well so that was not a problem. Â I am not sure if there is any difference to using it on upper teeth? Â Can anyone explain what is going on here and why I am having this problem?

6 Comments on Salvin Adjustable Torque Wrench: Differences for Upper Teeth?

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William Simmons

9/25/2012

More than likely the wrench is being used upside down in the upper region. When the wrench is used in the lower, the black arrow is facing upward and visible to the operator. However, when used in the upper it appears that you may be turning the wrench over and the black arrow is facing down and visible to the operator. In use in the upper region, the wrench should not be turned over. The black arrow should not be visible when used in the upper as it is facing the upper portion of the mouth. Call us at 800-535-6566 if you continue to have problems. Thank you for your business.

Richard Hughes, DDS, FAAI

9/26/2012

Remember : right is tight and left is loose, or turn clockwise to tighten and counterclockwise to loosen. It's elementary.

Richard Hughes, DDS, FAAI

9/26/2012

Sorry, did not mean to be a wise guy. Also check to determine thatvthere is no debris in the screw.

CRS

9/29/2012

It is the opposite way in the maxilla the orientation is looking down the implant with the screw in the middle of the clock. To be practical, if the screw is not tightening flip the wrench! I'm ambidextrious. (sp?0 so I get confused and have my assistant do it. You should see me drive, ask my husband!

E. Richard Hughes, DDS, F

9/30/2012

CRS: Right is right and left is left, even in the space shuttle. PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS WRONG, BUT JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO FIGURE IT OUT, THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN THE MOUTH. My better half is also a dentist and she does a lot of surgery and endo. She thinks it is a female thing!

CRS

10/1/2012

So sorry you have to understand that I can work with either hand which is a great asset in the OR. I was saying the same thing as the implant rep comment., the wrench might be flipped over. Sorry for the misrepresentation. Surgeons usually have to be able to work on both sides of the table in the OR. Never been on the space shuttle so I'll have to take your word for it, by the way my nephew works at NASA and we got an insider tour. You bring up a interesting point, how does weightlessness factor in?

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