Screw Elevator For Broken Root Fragments

Screw Elevator (often referred to as a Root Tip Screw or Steiglitz / Apexo Screw Elevator) is a specialized surgical instrument designed specifically for extracting broken root tips or fractured root fragments deeply retained within the tooth socket.

• Primary Function: Removes small, broken root tips that remain wedged inside the alveolar socket when standard dental forceps or traditional elevators cannot gain a grip.

• Mechanism: It features a threaded, corkscrew-like tapered metal tip. The dentist or oral surgeon threads (screws) the pointed tip directly into the exposed root canal space of the broken fragment. Once firmly anchored into the dentin, vertical pulling force is applied to lift the fragment directly out of the socket.

• Key Clinical Advantages:

  • Minimally Invasive: Minimizes the need for aggressive bone removal or large surgical tissue flaps to access small root fragments.

  • High Precision: Provides direct axial traction, reducing the risk of pushing the broken root tip deeper into adjacent structures (such as the maxillary sinus or inferior alveolar nerve canal).

  • Preserves Bone: Protects the surrounding socket walls, which is crucial if a dental implant is planned for the site.

Would you like to know how a screw elevator compares to a apical elevator (Heidbrink) or root tip pick?