Nelaton Butterfly Probe, Double-Ended Grooved Director
A double ended dental probe combining a butterfly notch for isolating the lingual frenum with a grooved shank for guiding instruments and probing small cavities.
The Nelaton Butterfly Probe, also known as a grooved director, is a double ended dental instrument built to carry out several distinct functions from a single tool. One end features a butterfly shaped profile with a central notch, which is used to isolate the lingual frenum and guide other probes into position during oral procedures.
The opposite end presents a grooved shank, which is useful for guiding cutting instruments accurately along a defined path, a task that benefits from a steady, controlled channel rather than freehand direction. The instrument also has a distal tip suited to probing certain cavities where larger probes cannot reach, giving the clinician a way to examine fine or narrow spaces that would otherwise be difficult to access.
Because it combines three distinct working features across a compact double ended design, the Nelaton probe reduces the number of separate instruments a dentist needs to reach for during a procedure. It is a practical addition to general dental and oral surgery trays where guided access and fine probing are routinely required.
