Sir, as a speciality doctor in OMFS I can often be found in the midst of an MOS procedure. During these times I occasionally allow myself to contemplate the nature of my work and the instruments which I use. These thoughts have often led me to question which, of the plethora of hand instruments available, is my favourite. The answer is always and unequivocally a 3 mm straight Luxator.

The medical historian in me required that I discover the origins of the Luxator. This need could not be satiated however, as upon searching through various online journals and articles relating to the history of dental instruments there was scant to no mention of the Luxator. I therefore decided to write this letter to illuminate the history of this wonderful instrument, which has aided me during countless MOS procedures.

The person who should be credited with the invention of the Luxator is a Swedish dentist named Dr Bo Ericson, a graduate of Umea University; he also served as assistant professor in the gnathology department of the same university.

Luxators are one of the newest hand instruments for exodontia and were introduced into the dental market place by the Directa AB company (Depro).1 The origin of the Luxator dates back to 1975; Dr Ericson while working in practice became tired of using the older Bremer and Hyalin elevator types. The elevators used leverage from the surrounding tissues, hence surgical outcomes were difficult to predict. Dr Ericson himself recounts the old instruments frequently led to mishaps occurring during exodontia. While contemplating a better way to extract teeth Dr Ericson happened upon the idea of 'luxation': a fine instrument could be inserted into the periodontal space, thus lifting the tooth out of the socket.

With this idea in mind Dr Ericson began to shape his own instruments in his practice. Unfortunately, it was found that the steel was not of sufficient quality to perform the required task. Dr Ericson therefore aligned himself with Sandvik Steel and their metallurgists and one in particular, Eilert Andersson. Over a period of six years multiple different steels were tried until one was produced with the necessary characteristics. After a further 18 months of clinical trials and testing the Luxator as we know it was born – originally in four varieties: 3 mm straight, 3 mm curved, 5 mm straight and 5 mm curved.

There are now 18 varieties of Luxator, each with their own specific uses and purposes. Personally, I would like to thank Dr Ericson for his innovation, as it has certainly helped me with my career. There is rarely an MOS procedure when I do not ask for a 3 mm straight Luxator; by far it is my most used, reliable and favourite instrument.