The dental handpiece is the most used piece of equipment in any dental practice today. This piece of equipment is used in almost every dental procedure, so recognizing the signs that your handpiece isn’t working properly is critical to the productivity of your practice and the comfort of your patients.

The air driven handpiece is still the mainstay within the industry, but electric handpieces are being used more and more as technology advances. The newest technology takes components from both air driven and electric handpieces.

Understanding how to properly clean and maintain these handpieces, as well as their components, will help the clinician achieve optimal results. You should clean your
dental handpiece with a soft bristle brush & warm water before autoclaving to remove any organic material that might corrode your handpiece. It is not advised to use detergents or soaps, as they can destroy the optics, get into the bearings & weaken the lubrication, which can reduce the life of your dental handpiece.

Reduction in Speed: Over time, especially if the handpiece is used a lot, the rotation speed decreases. This is caused by a number of things, but the most common is a faulty turbine. This sign is important, because the loss of speed in your handpiece will prevent you from performing timely and successful treatments.

Vibrations: If your handpiece starts to vibrate, then this can be an indication the bearings are wearing out or loose. Additionally, this problem can be caused by lack of lubrication. If this is the case, you will need to have the handpiece repaired by a handpiece repair specialist.

Disturbed rhythm: If your handpiece makes clunking noises and rotates irregularly, this could be a motor or turbine problem. This is often caused by old age or a lack of regular servicing, and you will need to get your brushless micro motor or turbine replaced. This will ensure consistently smooth revolutions that don’t pose such a risk to the teeth and gums of your patients.

Makes Noise: If your handpiece starts makings a loud chunking noise, this is an indication that the handpiece was probably dropped and the head was dented. Once this happens, the impeller within the turbine is compromised due to the drop. When the impeller within the turbine isn’t rotating smoothly the turbine will fail causing the bur to slip.

If you notice any of these signs with your dental handpieces, it is important to quickly find a reputable handpiece repair company to help protect your investment, minimize your handpiece downtime and keep your handpieces running at optimal performance.