The Reason for Choosing Dental Air Polishing

Air polishing is just that – it’s the practice of polishing the teeth using a stream of air that’s directed onto them. Some air polishing machines may also use a stream of water. The air works in two ways. Firstly, it ‘blows’ onto the teeth and gums to remove any buildups of dirt, and get rid of any food that may have become trapped, which is especially common if you choose not to floss. Secondly, it blows an abrasive powder onto the teeth which helps to tackle stubborn stains such as tea and coffee.

There are two powders that are commonly used for air polishing by dental air polisher, and these are sodium bicarbonate and glycerin powders. These are chosen because of their excellent abrasive qualities. Think about when you’ve got a dirty pan in your kitchen – you may use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to remove the stains. It’s exactly the same when it comes to your teeth; sodium bicarbonate can help to get them clean.

A powerful yet controlled jet of water, air and fine powder not only polishes all the surfaces of a tooth, removing plaque, discoloration and soft deposits, but also reaches deep into periodontal pockets up to a depth of 5 mm. It is far more efficient than traditional scrape and polish treatment at removing the damaging biofilm that develops when dental plaque is colonized by bacteria and can cause periodontitis and peri-implantitis to develop. Air flow polishing is completely safe to use with dental implants, veneers, crowns and bridges.

Anyone who has ever cringed as a scraping tool digs into their gums or a polishing disc presses onto tooth enamel will welcome air polishing for its painless, fast and non-invasive method of cleaning. Even deep pockets and interproximal areas are easily reached without uncomfortable and potentially damaging probing by curettes and scrapers and with no instrument contact, the technique does not generate any heat or vibration. The non-toxic powder used in air polishing is also more pleasant and less gritty than the heavy paste used in traditional polishing. Air polishing powders with added flavors, such as spearmint, have even been developed for use in machines, making the experience even more pleasant.

Air polishing has only recently become a common option for dental patients, it’s a concept that’s been around for quite a while. Over the past few years, techniques have been perfected, and air polishing is now believed to be a very safe, effective, and efficient way to remove stains from the teeth, although it’s important to remember that air polishing methods may not be suitable for everyone.

Different Kinds of Handpieces

One of the most fundamental devices used in dentistry, the handpiece can enhance the efficiency of everyday dental tasks. Through the years, dental handpieces have gradually been redesigned and upgraded to become the highly accurate and sophisticated tools they are today. Technological advances continue to improve these indispensable instruments.

Your dental handpiece is the center of your dental practice. Speed and precision are two things that you should look for in a handpiece. The better your handpiece, the smoother the day-to-day operation of your dental practice will be. There’s many different kinds of handpieces.

There’s two main types of handpieces: turbine and electric. Both give dentists and their patients exceptional results. The choice really has to do with your own team’s training, work style, and needs.

Traditional handpieces use an air-driven turbine to facilitate the rotators. These have a lighter weight and a skinny design, making them easy to work with. While turbine handpieces have many advantages, they can also cause higher levels of “noise” as the handpiece ages and the bearings wear down.

High speed handpieces are also known as drills in the dental world. This tool is a power-driven tool that has speeds of 400,000 rpm and up. The drill is of course used to drill holes for fillings and assist in other types of dental work like polishing dental trays for dentures( dental air polisher).

Low speed handpieces rotate at reduced speeds somewhere between 0 and 80,000 rpm, depending upon the make and model. These handpieces are equipped with a speed control ring, allowing you as the user to control the speed of the ring manually.

Electrical handpieces operate at both high and low speeds. This makes them versatile for all kinds of procedures. Instead of bearings, this handpiece has gears instead of bearings. These handpieces are quieter due to the fact that air is not flowing through them for power.

HOW TO MAINTAIN DENTAL AIR COMPRESSORS Correctly

An air compressor is capable of working under all types of weather, providing that the compressor is kept in optimal shape and the operating environment is suited to the technology. With periodic maintenance of your compressed air system and its room of operation, you could enjoy optimal performance throughout the year with minimal downtime. Therefore, it’s wise to mark each of the following steps onto select seasonal dates of your working calendar.

The temperature that surrounds a dental air compressor is integral to the quality of the machine’s performance. If the air that surrounds the compressor is hotter than normal due to rising outdoor temperatures, it can affect the performance of pneumatic tools and machines. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the air compressor itself maintains consistent temperatures throughout the year, including those months where outdoor temperatures top 80 degrees.

In order to prevent an air compressor from getting hotter during summer, the coolers must be cleaned each year just as temperatures begin to rise. If the coolers are clogged, it could impede their ability to keep your compressed air system at desired levels. To prevent this from happening, perform the following actions several weeks in advance of each summer: Inspect the coolers for traces of dirt, gunk or misty residue. Clean away any dirt deposits present on the coolers.

If the air compressor gets overheated, the impact could be troublesome for the compressor itself, as well as for any attached pneumatic tools and machinery. If a compressor is used to power air blowers, for example, the quality of air that reaches the end point could be ill–suited to the task at hand when the system is overheated.

The filtration system is integral to the efficiency of an air compressor. As long as the air and oil are sufficiently filtered throughout a given cycle, the air compressor can be expected to produce cool air at consistent volumes with an overall smooth performance from the machine. However, if the filters are clogged with dirt, pressure drop can ensue, and this forces the air compressor to work harder just to perform basic functions. Consequently, energy gets consumed and parts get worn in the process.

Maintenance of an air compressor unit is only part of what keeps a compressed air system in optimal condition throughout the four seasons of a given year. In order to keep a well–functioning compressor performing up to par, you also need to ensure that the compressor room is maintained with optimal working conditions for the machinery contained within.

The Importance of Dental Sterilizer

Today’s busy dental practices face a serious challenge: to maintain or increase productivity while ensuring that patient safety remains a top priority. At times, these may seem like incompatible goals. Advances in dental processing equipment, however, have empowered practices to develop safer processes while realizing efficiencies and ultimately, saving money.

Sterilizers are medical devices, requiring clearance by the Food and Drug Administration before manufacturers may offer them for sale. The FDA requires rigorous testing to ensure an adequate margin of safety in each cycle type described in the instructions. Failing to follow the instructions of the manufacturer is ill advised, since it may result in inadequate sterilization of the instruments or devices in the sterilizer. It is never appropriate to use a household device, such as a toaster oven, for sterilization of dental equipment.

A cleaning and sterilization process that meets ADA and CDC guidelines is vital to an effective infection control program. Streamlining of this process requires an understanding of proper methods, materials, and devices. Many methods of instrument reprocessing are available. Use of a complete system that encompasses and fulfills all elements that are critical maximizes efficiency and minimizes risks. Closed cassette systems provide a more efficient and safer way to process, sterilize and organize instruments in a dental office – these eliminate manual steps during instrument reprocessing such as hand scrubbing and time-consuming sorting of instruments, thereby improving safety and increasing efficiency.

Dry heat sterilizers have been used effectively in dental office for many years. Just as with any other sterilization method, dry heat sterilization is highly dependent upon the operator following the manufacturer’s instructions for cycle time, temperature, instrument packaging, and loading technique. Because dry air is not as efficient a heat conductor as moist heat at the same temperature, a much higher temperature is required for a dry heat unit to accomplish sterilization.

Packaging cleaned instruments prior to placing them in the autoclave sterilizer is a standard of care that protects instruments and maintains their sterility until they are ready for use on a patient. Unprotected instruments may be re-contaminated with dust and spatter or by coming into contact with any number of non-sterile surfaces during transport, storage, tray set-up, and operatory set-up.