Hemostats, tissue forceps, and surgical clamps are foundational instruments in oral surgery, periodontal procedures, and even routine extractions. Choosing the right pattern, jaw serration, and length for each clinical application directly affects tissue handling, bleeding control, and patient outcomes. This guide covers every pattern Canadian dental practices commonly need, with links to verified instruments from EBIKO Dental.
As of June 2026, Canadian dental practices performing extractions, implant placements, and soft tissue procedures rely on a core set of clamping and grasping instruments daily. Understanding the differences between hemostats, tissue forceps, and towel clamps — and knowing which pattern to reach for in each clinical scenario — separates efficient surgical workflows from frustrating improvisation.
Understanding the Three Instrument Families
Before diving into specific patterns, it helps to clarify what separates these three instrument categories. They share a similar hinged design but serve distinct clinical purposes.
Hemostats (Artery Forceps)
Hemostats are locking forceps designed primarily for clamping blood vessels and controlling hemorrhage during surgical procedures. In dental applications, they are used for:
- Clamping small blood vessels during extractions and flap surgery
- Grasping and removing small tissue fragments
- Holding suture needles in emergency situations
- Clamping drain tubes during abscess management
Key features include a ratchet locking mechanism that maintains clamping pressure without hand fatigue, serrated jaws for secure grip, and a tapered tip profile that allows precise placement in confined surgical sites.
Tissue Forceps
Tissue forceps are non-locking (or optionally locking) thumb forceps designed for grasping, holding, and manipulating soft tissue during surgical procedures. They function like precision tweezers with teeth or serrations that provide controlled tissue grip without excessive crushing. Dental applications include:
- Holding flap tissue during suturing
- Grasping and stabilizing soft tissue during periodontal surgery
- Handling tissue specimens for biopsy
- Positioning gauze and dressing materials
Towel Clamps (Surgical Clamps)
Towel clamps secure surgical drapes and maintain a sterile field during oral surgery procedures. While simpler in function than hemostats or tissue forceps, they are essential for infection prevention and control (IPAC) compliance — a core requirement under Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) infection control standards.
Hemostats: Pattern-by-Pattern Guide
Halstead Mosquito Forceps
The Halstead Mosquito is the workhorse hemostat in dental surgery. Its compact 12 cm length and fine, tapered jaws make it ideal for clamping small blood vessels in the confined spaces of the oral cavity. Available in straight and curved configurations, with or without teeth.
- Straight, Serrated: General-purpose hemostasis in accessible areas — Halstead Mosquito Forcep, Straight, Serrated, 12CM
- Curved, Serrated: Preferred for reaching around tissue margins and clamping in posterior surgical sites — Halstead Mosquito Forcep, Curved, Serrated, 12CM
- Straight, 1x2 Teeth: Enhanced grip for tissue that tends to slip from serrated jaws — Halstead Mosquito Forcep, Straight, 1x2 Teeth, Serrated, 12CM
- Curved, 1x2 Teeth: Combines the reach of a curved jaw with the positive grip of rat-tooth design — Halstead Mosquito Forcep, Curved, 1x2 Teeth, Serrated, 12CM
Pro Tip: Stock at least two curved and two straight Halstead Mosquito forceps per surgical cassette. The curved pattern sees the most use in dental surgery, but having straight options immediately available prevents delays when access angles change mid-procedure.
Hartman Mosquito Forceps
The Hartman Mosquito is a smaller variant at 10 cm, designed for extremely fine clamping in pediatric dentistry or delicate soft tissue procedures where the standard Halstead feels oversized.
Kelly Artery Forceps
Kelly forceps are larger hemostats (14 cm) with a half-serrated jaw design. The serration pattern extends only partway along the jaw, which provides strong clamping in the proximal portion while leaving the tip smoother for more delicate tissue handling.
Kelly Rankin Artery Forceps
The Kelly Rankin is a 16 cm extension of the Kelly design, offering additional reach for deeper surgical sites. Commonly used during impacted third molar surgeries and more extensive oral surgery procedures.
- Kelly Rankin Artery Forcep, Half Serrated, Curved, 16CM
- Kelly Rankin Artery Forcep, Half Serrated, Straight, 16CM
- Kelly Rankin Hemostat, 16CM
Adson Artery Forceps
Adson artery forceps (18 cm) offer the longest reach in the dental hemostat category. Their half-serrated jaw pattern and extended length make them suitable for procedures requiring access to deeper tissue planes.
- Adson Artery Forcep (Hemostat), Curved, Half Serrated, 18CM
- Adson Artery Forcep (Hemostat), Straight, Half Serrated, 18CM
Ochsner-Kocher Artery Forceps
The Ochsner-Kocher pattern features 1x2 interlocking teeth at the jaw tip combined with full serration. This aggressive grip design is used when standard serrated hemostats cannot maintain adequate hold on dense or slippery tissue.
- Ochsner Kocher Artery Forcep, Fine, 1x2 Teeth, Curved, Serrated, 14CM
- Ochsner Kocher Artery Forcep, Fine, 1x2 Teeth, Straight, Serrated, 14CM
Tissue Forceps: Pattern-by-Pattern Guide
Adson Tissue Forceps
The Adson is the most commonly used tissue forcep in dental surgery. Its 12 cm length and fine tip profile make it ideal for grasping tissue during suturing without causing excessive trauma. Available in several tip configurations:
- Micro, 1x2 Teeth: Standard surgical tissue handling — Adson Forcep, Micro, 1x2 Teeth, 12CM
- Micro, Serrated: Serrated tip for atraumatic tissue grip — Adson Forcep, Micro, Serrated, 12CM
- Extra Micro, 1x2 Teeth: Finer tip for delicate periodontal surgery — Adson Forcep, Extra Micro, 1x2 Teeth, 12CM
- Extra Micro, Serrated: Ultra-fine atraumatic option — Adson Forcep, Extra Micro, Serrated, 12CM
Adson Brown Grasping Forceps
The Adson Brown pattern features multiple interlocking teeth (3x4 or 5x6) that distribute grasping force across a wider area. This reduces tissue perforation risk compared to single-tooth designs, making it preferred for handling friable or inflamed tissue.
- Adson Brown Grasping Forcep, 5x6 Teeth, 12CM
- Adson Brown Grasping Forcep, 3x4 Teeth, Tungsten Carbide, 12CM — tungsten carbide inserts for enhanced durability
Gerald Tissue Forceps
Gerald forceps are 18 cm tissue forceps with 1x2 teeth, offering significantly more reach than the Adson pattern. Useful for deep flap surgery and procedures where the surgical site is further from the surface.
- Gerald Tissue Forcep, 1x2 Teeth, Straight, 18CM
- Gerald Tissue Forcep, 1x2 Teeth, Curved, 18CM
- Gerald Tissue Forcep, 1x2 Teeth, Tungsten Carbide, 18CM — tungsten carbide tip for extended working life
DeBakey Atraumatic Tissue Forceps
The DeBakey pattern features a distinctive ribbed jaw design that grips tissue firmly without perforation. Originally developed for cardiovascular surgery, the atraumatic jaw pattern has become popular in periodontal and implant surgery where tissue preservation is critical.
Fox and Allis Tissue Forceps
Fox and Allis patterns are locking tissue forceps used when sustained tissue retraction is needed during longer procedures. The Fox pattern is available in both locking and non-locking configurations.
- 50 Fox Non Locking Tissue Forcep, 3x3, 15CM
- 50L Fox Locking Tissue Forcep, 3x3, 15CM
- Allis Tissue Forcep, 5x6 Teeth, 15CM
- Allis Tissue Baby Forcep, 4x5 Teeth, 13CM — smaller pattern for pediatric or delicate applications
Pro Tip: For periodontal flap surgery, pair an Adson 1x2 tissue forcep for initial flap handling with a DeBakey atraumatic forcep for final positioning before suturing. The DeBakey's ribbed jaw minimizes crush injury to tissue margins, promoting better healing at the incision line.
Towel Clamps for Sterile Field Management
EBIKO Dental carries the Backhaus towel clamp in two sizes, covering most draping needs for dental surgical setups:
- 3 Backhaus Towel Clamp, 9CM — compact size for smaller surgical drape setups
- 5 Backhaus Towel Clamp, 12.5CM — standard size for full surgical draping
Proper draping technique is a component of IPAC compliance in Ontario. The RCDSO's infection prevention and control guidelines require that surgical procedures maintain a defined sterile field. Having reliable towel clamps that hold drapes securely throughout a procedure is a basic but essential requirement.
Building Your Surgical Cassette: Recommended Configurations
For practices in Toronto and the GTA performing regular oral surgery, here are suggested instrument configurations by procedure type:
Basic Extraction Cassette
- 2x Halstead Mosquito (1 curved, 1 straight)
- 1x Adson Tissue Forcep, 1x2 Teeth
- 2x Backhaus Towel Clamps
Periodontal Surgery Cassette
- 2x Halstead Mosquito (curved)
- 1x Kelly Artery Forcep (curved)
- 1x Adson Tissue Forcep, 1x2 Teeth
- 1x DeBakey Atraumatic Forcep
- 2x Backhaus Towel Clamps
Implant Surgery Cassette
- 2x Halstead Mosquito (1 curved, 1 straight)
- 1x Kelly Rankin Artery Forcep (curved)
- 1x Adson Brown Grasping Forcep
- 1x Gerald Tissue Forcep (straight or curved)
- 2x Backhaus Towel Clamps
Instrument Care and Sterilization Considerations
Hemostats and tissue forceps require careful maintenance to preserve their locking mechanisms and jaw alignment:
- Inspect ratchet locks before each sterilization cycle — loose or worn ratchets compromise clamping security
- Open all locking mechanisms before autoclaving to prevent moisture trapping in the hinge
- Use instrument milk or lubricant spray on hinges after ultrasonic cleaning and before autoclaving
- Replace any hemostat showing jaw misalignment — a hemostat that does not close evenly cannot maintain reliable hemostasis
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between a hemostat and a tissue forcep in dental surgery?
A hemostat is a locking forcep designed primarily for clamping blood vessels and controlling bleeding. It features a ratchet mechanism that maintains clamping pressure without hand fatigue. A tissue forcep is a non-locking thumb forcep (similar to tweezers) designed for grasping and manipulating soft tissue during suturing and flap procedures. Both are essential in oral surgery but serve different clinical functions.
Q: Which hemostat pattern should a Canadian dental practice stock first?
The Halstead Mosquito forcep in the curved, serrated, 12 cm configuration is the most versatile starting point for dental practices. Its compact size fits the oral cavity well, and the curved jaw provides access around tissue margins. Stock at least two curved and two straight Halstead Mosquitos before expanding to Kelly or Adson patterns.
Q: Where can I buy dental hemostats and tissue forceps in Canada?
EBIKO Dental carries a full range of hemostats, tissue forceps, and surgical clamps for Canadian dental practices, with free shipping on orders over $99 CAD in the GTA, $199 CAD across Ontario, and $299 CAD Canada-wide. Shop the complete surgical instrument collection at ebiko.ca.
Shop hemostats, tissue forceps, and surgical clamps at EBIKO Dental — your Canadian source for quality dental instruments with price match guarantee and fast GTA delivery.