There are two main types of dental suction unit that dentists use: the saliva ejector and the high volume suction. The saliva ejector does exactly what its name implies; it sucks saliva out of the mouth. This is the suction pictured at the upper right of this article. Many times dentists will have the patient close down on this suction so that it can suction away any remaining saliva in the patient’s mouth.

The other main type of dental suction that we use is the high volume suction. This suction is so strong that the dental assistant simply holds it close to where the dentist is working and it will suck away any nearby debris, much like a strong vacuum cleaner can suck away crumbs without actually touching them.
Why Dentists Use a Dental Suction

Now that the introductions are over, let’s talk about some of the different reasons why dentists will use a suction.
For Patient Comfort

Keeping the patient comfortable is a high priority. We suction after giving anesthetic because the anesthetic has a bitter taste, and most patients prefer to rinse out with water and use the saliva ejector. Also, if the anesthetic sits in the back of your mouth for too long, it may start to slightly numb the back of your mouth and could give the patient a gagging sensation.

We will also use the suction to make sure that you don’t get too much water in your mouth while we are working.
To Clean Away Any Excess Dental Materials

When a dental hygienist cleans and polishes your teeth, you can get a lot of cleaning paste in your mouth. We use the suction to help clean all of that away. Also, when dentists are do amalgam fillings, pieces of the soft amalgam can sometimes fall away from the tooth surface. We use the suction to help whisk them away.
To Keep the Tooth Dry

During some procedures, such as white fillings, it is important that the tooth stay clean and dry. The suction helps keep the tooth dry by sucking away any saliva, blood, and water that may have accumulated around the tooth. If the cavity went below the gum-line, then it’s pretty likely that the gums will bleed during the filling.