Tips for maintaining dental handpieces
Taking care of the equipment you use everyday is a key part of remaining at the top of your profession.
Here we want to provide useful tips and procedures to help you ensure your dental handpieces and accessories remain in top working condition.
Procedures for Lubricating Highspeed Dental Handpieces
In order to increase life expectance of any high speed bearings and spindle/chuck, the following procedures are recommended:
1.Before autoclaving, insert a cutting bur into the handpiece. Do not use a shipping pin.
2.Lubricate the handpiece through the intake (smaller) tube.
Do not lubricate exhaust (larger) tube.
3.Run the handpiece over a paper towel for about 1 minute. This will clear out excessive lubricant.
4.Remove the bur.
5.Autoclave the handpiece.
6.Remove from autoclave and allow to cool to room temperature. If you lubricate the handpiece while it is still warm or hot, the lubricant will distort the bearing cage. Over a short period of time the cage will fail, resulting in premature bearing replacement.
7.Lubricate through the intake tube until excess lubricant is expelled from the handpiece head.
8.Insert a cutting bur and rotate by hand for about 10 to 15 seconds.
9.Run the handpiece for about 1 minute over a paper towel.
Additional Procedure for Push Button and Latch Type Handpieces
At least once or twice a week, put lubricant or cleaner down the bur end of the push button spindle. Insert a bur in the spindle and push it in and out a few times. This will loosen up any debris that is in the spindle and chucking mechanism. Blow into the spindle with an air syringe to remove additional debris.
This procedure will help to unblock the gripping device that holds the bur.