Slow-speed motors (or low-speed motors) are one of the least maintained pieces of equipment in a dental office today. They are easy to forget about. They rarely break down, even when ignored for years.
Usually they are simply left connected to the handpiece tubing, wiped down between each patient, and reused. Because the motors rarely seem to give the users any trouble, and they are relatively inexpensive to replace, most offices are content to ignore them.
This is fine for some offices, but as dentists add more expensive and more capable motors to their inventory, this disregard for motor maintenance can result in surprising repair bills.
Motors of Slow speed dental handpieces begin talking to us as they age, slowly letting us know that they are getting closer to retirement. Often, the motor becomes a little noisier, a little less responsive, and a little more difficult to finesse over time. One of the most common reasons for this is simply a lack of lubrication.
Contrary to popular belief, slow-speed manufacturers DO recommend lubricating these motors. In fact, most recommend lubrication twice a day, or after 30 minutes of continuous use. Since many people NEVER lubricate slow-speed motors, it is easy to see how this can dramatically affect the lifespan and efficiency of the motor.
Lubricating these motors is not much different than lubricating a high speed handpiece. Remove the motor from the tubing, add oil to the drive air port on the back of the handpiece, and run for 15 to 30 seconds. Clean, and return the motor to the handpiece tubing.
Usually slow-speed motors are not sterilized, they are simply wiped down. This is because the heat and moisture of the sterilizer can actually damage some of the moving parts inside the motor. However, many of these motors can be sterilized. You can identify a slow-speed motor that is safe for sterilization by looking for a mark on the side of the motor that shows that it is safe for sterilization.
If the motor is rated for sterilization, it is a good idea to reevaluate your asepsis procedures and consider adding slow-speed sterilization to your routine. This can give great peace of mind to dentists or hygienists who are concerned about cross contamination, or those who work on high-risk patients.
Tags for this article :Dental Equipment Dental Handpieces slow speed dental handpiecesTags: Dental Equipment, Dental Handpieces
