ROOT ELEVATORS NES-972

Fig. 1
Building out a periotome set usually starts with a baseline size, and the NES-972 fills that role well. It carries the same design philosophy as the rest of the periotome family: a thin, tapered blade meant to work into the periodontal ligament space gradually, expanding it through patient, incremental movement rather than the broader force a standard elevator applies.
What sets a periotome apart from conventional root elevator instruments is the emphasis on preserving the socket rather than simply freeing the tooth quickly. The blade slides along the root surface, separating ligament fibers as it advances, which keeps pressure on the surrounding bone to a minimum.
This matters most when the extraction site is destined for an implant or graft, where an intact buccal plate and undisturbed socket walls make the difference in how predictably that next step goes.
Technique stays consistent regardless of size within the family: steady, controlled advancement, checking resistance rather than pushing through it. Clinicians new to periotome use often find the learning curve is more about patience than technical difficulty, since the instrument rewards a slower pace with cleaner results. Manufactured from reusable surgical steel and finished for standard autoclave sterilization, the NES-972 fits directly into existing sterilization protocols without special handling.
For a practice building atraumatic extraction into its standard workflow, this instrument is a reasonable place to start.