What is the face-to-terminal-shank angle for universal curettes?

• A. 70°
• B. 60°
• C. 80°
• D. 90°

Answer: (D)

The face-to-terminal-shank angle is the angle between the blade face and the end portion of the instrument’s shank. For universal curettes, this blade face sits at a right angle to the terminal shank, meaning it is perpendicular to the shank. This perpendicular arrangement gives two cutting edges and lets the instrument work effectively on both anterior and posterior teeth without needing to change the blade orientation, providing versatility in subgingival scaling.

Other orientations would offset the blade from a perpendicular position, which is typical for instruments designed to optimize access to specific surfaces with a single cutting edge. That’s why a universal curette uses this perpendicular setup.