Surgical instrument for the removal of bone material with a surface from which at least one tooth projects, preferably teeth made from plastic material designed to come into contact with bone to remove a portion thereof, characterized in that the width (1) of the tooth or each tooth (5), that is the smallest width dimension at the level of the said one surface of the instrument from which it projects, is between 1 mm and 7 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 5 mm, more preferably between 3 mm and 4 mm.