Dental hand pieces are one of the most important tools of dental practices after the dental chair. They can be bought new or used. If they are bought used then they should be inspected to make sure that they are still in proper working condition.
Dental hand pieces tend to wear out fast due to regular use and heating and steaming during disinfection. It is advisable to go for new dental hand pieces.
Otherwise known as the dental drill, the dental hand piece is the most feared dental instrument and comes with the possibility to attach different kinds of hand pieces for different functions.
What makes dental hand pieces tick?
Weight:
When choosing a dental hand piece it is important to consider it’s weigh. In order to avoid strain choose pieces that are made of light weight material.
Fibre optic light:
Some dental hand pieces come with fibre optic light transmission capability which makes a dentist’s work easier. While shopping, consider that 10,000 lux transmissions considered a minimum and also consider that sterilization may reduce light output in the long run.
Noise:
Dental hand pieces produce noise when in use. Older versions produce more noise than newer models because of the improved toque and turbine speed. Whatever you decide to buy as a dental hand piece, noise levels should not exceed 80 db.
Power and speed
For a dental hand piece its power is measure of its ability to remove tooth structure; the higher the power the more work the dental hand piece can do. The power depends on the torque and turbine speed of the piece. At high speeds a dental hand piece is expected to perform at 300,000 revolutions per minute. Speed air turbine hand pieces are designed to operate at free-running speeds in excess of 300,000 rpm (revolutions per minute). Their power can be between 9 to 15 watts. The lower the power the less effective the effective the dental hand piece is removing tooth elements.
Air and water spray
When using high speed dental hand pieces it is important to have the air and water spray to avoid damage to the tooth pulp form the heat generated. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that a dental hand piece allow for a combination of air and water in good measure to cool and irrigate the surface under treatment.
Durability
Because all dental equipment including dental hand pieces must undergo sterilization between patients and that this reduces their efficiency, it is important to shop around for those products which have met the standards to withstand the effects of sterilization for a reasonable time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies recommend dentals hand pieces that can withstand at least 250 cycles of sterilization. To help keep your dental hand pieces longer they should be treated with the right lubricating spray as per manufacturer’s directions.
Care of dental hand pieces
All dental hand pieces come in contact with saliva and blood. It is important that they are thoroughly sterilized between patients. Because sterilization can be tough on dental hand pieces it is very important that the maker’s instructions are followed to the letter as concerns lubrication and care. Lubricant spray is sold by the same dealers who sell the dental hand pieces.
When considering a dealer to buy from, it is important to check the kind of after sales service they provide. If they can repair your tools at a reasonable rate and in reasonable time then it makes sense to go with such a provider. The more established a dealer is the higher the possibility that you will get good service from them.
By choosing the best dental hand pieces around you will save money, keep your clients happy and keep more money in the bank. In addition you will make your work easier and much more enjoyable, everyday working day will be a day you look forward to.
Tags for this article :Tags: Dental Equipment, Dental Handpieces
