Dental Handpiece Maintenance Guide
Dental Handpiece Maintenance Guide
I talk to dentists and hygienists I am finding varied methods of dental handpieces maintenance.
It is my intention to offer my experience on dental handpiece maintenance and hopefully save you some money.
First, always follow your manufacturers recommendations for dental high speed handpiece maintenance. Make sure your handpiece is used at the proper PSI, usually between thirty and forty PSI. If you run your handpiece at a higher pressure you will certainly cut the life of your bearings and the chuck. Also running your dental autoclave with the burr pulled out to gain extra reach will destroy the chuck and bearings very fast.
Second, wash the outer casing with alcohol or warm water and a soft to medium bristle brush depending on need. Please do not soak the curing light under water or in any type of chemical. Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner unless recommended by the manufacturer.
Before we go any further you may want to know a little bit about the technical operation of the high-speed handpiece and how it collects debris.
The high-speed handpiece pushes air from the the top and bottom of the head.
Third, choose your lubricant. Sprays are good but they have a propellant that needs to evaporate before the lubricant is left. I use an oil pen or syringe. For me this is the better way to go because you have direct control of your oil. The oil you use should meet of exceed the manufacturers specifications. If you use a spray, make sure you have the correct nozzle.
If you don't, buy one because you won't be able to get the oil where it needs to be. Use two or three blasts of one second each into the air hole. The air hole is the smaller one of the two hole system and the middle one for the three hole system. Also the burr must be clean of contaminant. Hook the handpiece back up to the air and run at 20 PSI without the burr for about twenty or thirty seconds over a paper towel. look for the oil to be clear.
Fourth, autoclave as normal. Do not stack handpieces in the autoclave.
Fifth, after you autoclave spray a one second blast into the air hole and one more into the chuck. One drop each for the oil pen. Hook up to air and run for 30 or forty seconds to purge the last of the oil and have a properly running handpiece.
If you observe these procedures you will save hundreds per year on high-speed handpiece repair.
I talk to dentists and hygienists I am finding varied methods of dental handpieces maintenance.
It is my intention to offer my experience on dental handpiece maintenance and hopefully save you some money.
First, always follow your manufacturers recommendations for dental high speed handpiece maintenance. Make sure your handpiece is used at the proper PSI, usually between thirty and forty PSI. If you run your handpiece at a higher pressure you will certainly cut the life of your bearings and the chuck. Also running your dental autoclave with the burr pulled out to gain extra reach will destroy the chuck and bearings very fast.
Second, wash the outer casing with alcohol or warm water and a soft to medium bristle brush depending on need. Please do not soak the curing light under water or in any type of chemical. Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner unless recommended by the manufacturer.
Before we go any further you may want to know a little bit about the technical operation of the high-speed handpiece and how it collects debris.
The high-speed handpiece pushes air from the the top and bottom of the head.
Third, choose your lubricant. Sprays are good but they have a propellant that needs to evaporate before the lubricant is left. I use an oil pen or syringe. For me this is the better way to go because you have direct control of your oil. The oil you use should meet of exceed the manufacturers specifications. If you use a spray, make sure you have the correct nozzle.
If you don't, buy one because you won't be able to get the oil where it needs to be. Use two or three blasts of one second each into the air hole. The air hole is the smaller one of the two hole system and the middle one for the three hole system. Also the burr must be clean of contaminant. Hook the handpiece back up to the air and run at 20 PSI without the burr for about twenty or thirty seconds over a paper towel. look for the oil to be clear.
Fourth, autoclave as normal. Do not stack handpieces in the autoclave.
Fifth, after you autoclave spray a one second blast into the air hole and one more into the chuck. One drop each for the oil pen. Hook up to air and run for 30 or forty seconds to purge the last of the oil and have a properly running handpiece.
If you observe these procedures you will save hundreds per year on high-speed handpiece repair.