Abstract: A dental instrument (10) having a tool (12) with a tip (56) capable of being rapidly adjusted and fixed in a variety of orientations relative to an instrument body (14). The instrument comprises opposing jaws (16, 22) having concave surfaces (18, 24). One jaw (16) is attached to one end of the instrument body, while the other jaw (22) is attached to the end of a lever arm (20). The lever arm is pivotally attached to the instrument body and is pivotal between a first (closed) position (P1), a second (intermediate) position (P2) and a third (open) position (P3). The lever arm includes a latch (26) having first and second catches (34, 36) that each releasably engage a rim (42) of an aperture (40) in the instrument body so as to retain the lever arm in the first (closed) position and the second (intermediate) position, respectively.

Abstract: A dental instrument (10) having a tool (100) with a tip (108) capable of being rapidly adjusted and fixed in a variety of orientations relative to an instrument body (14). The instrument comprises opposing jaws (22 and 32) having concave surfaces (26 and 36). One jaw (22) is attached to one end of the instrument body, while the other jaw (32) is attached to the end of a lever arm (40). The lever arm is pivotally attached to the instrument body and is pivotal between a first (closed) position (P1), a second (intermediate) position (P2) and a third (open) position (P3). The lever arm includes a latch (50) which releasably grips the instrument body so as to retain the lever arm in the first (closed) position. The tool includes a spherical ball-end sized to be tightly engaged by the concave surfaces of the jaws when the lever arm is in the first (closed) position, thereby preventing the tool from moving relative to the instrument body.