In which situation are elevators not typically used?

Elevators are primarily hand instruments used in dentistry to assist with the extraction of teeth by applying leverage against the tooth or adjacent structures. They are particularly effective in facilitating the removal of teeth that may be retained in their sockets due to various factors, such as their roots being divided or the presence of soft tissue attachments.

In the case of dividing third lower molar roots, elevators are often employed to aid in the extraction process due to the complex anatomy and potential difficulties encountered with these teeth. The other situations listed, such as extracting maxillary molars or removing impacted canines, typically involve the use of elevators as well, as these teeth may require similar techniques for effective removal.

However, when it comes to elevating fractured teeth, the use of elevators is less common because these situations often require more specialized techniques, such as the use of forceps or other instruments designed to grip and extract fragments or the remaining pieces of a fractured tooth. Elevators are typically not ideal in these scenarios since their design and application focus on lifting and leveraging entire teeth rather than dealing with fragmented structures. Therefore, the context of each option demonstrates a clear distinction, making the situation involving elevating fractured teeth the one where elevators are not typically used.