Category Archives: dental equipment

dental equipment

What Do You Know about the Dental Equipment

An appointment with your dentist is not everyone’s favorite experience! But the reality is a lot less daunting when you consider that your dentist has a whole host of equipment to help him look after you and make your experience as pleasant as possible. What equipment does your dentist use to look after you?

Mouth Mirror
This is fairly self-explanatory and will almost certainly be used during your visit. Your dentist needs to get a good view of the inside of your mouth, including the backs of your teeth. The mirror allows them to see from all angles and help locate any potential problems much more easily.

Dental Syringe
The dental syringe is used to administer local anaesthetic to numb your teeth and gums so your dentist may perform procedures that might otherwise be painful for you. Syringes are also used to rinse or dry your mouth with water and air respectively, which is necessary for certain procedures. Syringes can hurt at first. The good news is, only for a second and the even better news is some of our practices now have pain free sedation, so you don’t even know your tooth is being numbed.

Dental Drill
The sound and the vibrations caused by the drill on your teeth may cause an unusual sensation but this is nothing to worry about. The drill is used to remove any decay attached to the tooth before filling in the cavity, although sometimes it is simply for polishing and smoothing the tooth once operating is complete.

Scaler

Dental hygienists generally use several tools during a dental cleaning, including a tooth polisher and a dental scaler. Tooth polishers buff teeth and eliminate tiny pieces of plaque. They generally have several different sized heads for cleaning hard to reach places. Scalers look a bit like metal hooks and are used to remove hard plaque, especially between teeth. Some people find the use of a scaler uncomfortable, depending on their sensitivity level, pain threshold, the length of time since the last cleaning, and the extent of plaque build-up.

Suction Device
During many procedures saliva and debris can build up in the mouth, which can make things difficult for your dentist. Small hoses are used to remove anything obstructing the mouth, making any job easier for everyone involved.

X-Ray
Sometimes a problem may not be immediately obvious so an x-ray which made by dental x-ray machine will need to be taken to show a more detailed view of the teeth and bones surrounding the affected area. Without an x-ray, problems such as decay can easily be overlooked.

dental equipment

Different Types of High Speed and Low Speed Handpieces

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 types of tools that you need at your dental practice, but there’s non more important than your dental handpiece. Understanding the different types of handpieces and the parts that are involved in maintaining them.

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.

Many manufacturers use the same types of models, making dental handpiece repairs across brands and manufacturers an easier task.

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.

The type of repair that you need will depend on the type of handpiece that you have. Most dental offices use high speed handpieces more often than low speed, yet both are useful. You should expect to need your high speed handpiece maintained more often due to the wear and tear on the bearings. The type of maintenance that you perform on your handpiece will also depend on the intricate parts involved on each type of dental equipment.

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.

Electric handpiece repair doesn’t require a complete rebuilding of the tool each and every time. Most times, the parts that are causing the issues are inspected and replaced if needed.

Sometimes, factory parts are required for a repair, other times, bearings of higher ratings can be used, depending on the state of the tool itself. Each brand and variation of handpiece has a different number of bearings and gears. That’s why you need to send your most important tool to the right repair company to ensure a safe and effective repair.

dental equipment

How to Get a Beautiful Smile

If your teeth are not in desirable alignment, this denies you a proper smile. Do not worry – there is still hope. Your dentist will expose you to the numerous procedures you can take to rearrange your teeth.

Crooked teeth are difficult to clean hence a predisposing factor to gum diseases and risk of getting tooth cavities. Apart from having an excellent appearance, straight teeth are healthy teeth. Wondering how to correct overbite naturally? Some of the best recommendations would be braces or aligners that gradually align your teeth to disable the overbite.

Some people have white and sparkling, unique teeth. Some people go through whitening treatments to remove the stains or to make their teeth whiter. You should check with your dentist for the best procedure or treatment for your teeth. Some medications are harsh and may cause more harm than good hence a prescription from your dentist would be the best option. While the treatment improves your smile, you need to consistently brush and check in with your dentist to monitor progress.

Some foods and drinks contain harmful colours, chemicals, and acids. Soda, coffee, and tea could stain your teeth, so try and avoid drinking too much of it. If you are a coffee addict, make a habit of brushing your teeth often. Smoking and drinking too much alcohol can also stain your teeth. You might not notice the stains in its early stages but once visible they are hard to retract.

Brushing your teeth on a daily basis is the most common practice among the human race. Most dentists recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and others will support the fact that each one of us should brush or floss after every meal. It’s very important.

Teeth Whitening helps in its ability to enhance your overall appearance. But it may not be effective and safe for everyone to use. Teeth whitening products ( led teeth whitening ) for people with sensitive teeth differ from the usual products. Before undergoing any bleaching procedures, it’s advisable that you consult your dentist. It’s very important that you tread with caution, just incase you have sensitive teeth.

dental equipment

The Development of Air-driven Dental Handpiece

A recently introduced feature in an air-driven handpiece combines some of the benefits of traditional air-driven and electric handpieces into one instrument. Two new technologies incorporated into this dental handpiece are speed sensing intelligence (SSI) and superior turbine suspension (STS). These features allow this handpiece to deliver the benefits of constant torque at high speeds when performing various dental procedures, specifically cutting enamel and dentin and removing or sectioning through different types of restorative materials, including metal and zirconium.

According to the manufacturer, some of the benefits of these technologies in an air-driven handpiece are: automatic optimization of power, that is, constant speed under load to avoid stalling; delivery of smooth, constant power and control for maximum cutting efficiency and faster removal of material; speed adjustment of the bur when it is not under load to minimize wear on the bearings; and allowing the handpiece to operate at 330,000 RPM under load without bur chatter or deflection.

Because an air-driven handpiece with automatic torque control can literally “sense” the degree of “resistance” when cutting through various materials, constant speed and torque are delivered to the cutting instrument, making it unique among traditional high-speed air-driven dental handpieces. In the author’s experience, when cutting through enamel, the hardest substance in the body, this type of device gives the operator a fast, efficient cut that leaves the preparation margins ultra smooth. Cutting depth cuts for minimal-preparation veneers entirely in enamel can be performed with precision.

As the rotary instrument engages the softer dentin in a preparation, the handpiece “senses” it and reduces the workload on the handpiece while maintaining constant torque. Cutting through restorative materials, from metal amalgam to zirconium substructures, puts a high degree of strain on the turbines of traditional air-driven handpieces and wear on their turbines. Having the ability to automatically adjust speed and torque based on the resistance of the substrate improves efficiency, with less wear and tear on the handpiece itself.

Control during tooth preparation and automatic adjustments in torque to cut enamel and dentin with equal amount of ease and efficiency is, of course, greatly beneficial. However, in a clinical world where dentistry is moving away from metal-based restorative materials towards high-strength porcelain and zirconia restorations, clinicians will need a handpiece that can efficiently remove these materials when they need replacement. Many traditional high-speed handpieces will be strained beyond their limits performing these procedures on a daily basis, which will lead to costly repairs and early replacement.

dental equipment

Methods For Dental Handpiece Repair

Dental handpiece repair doesn’t require a complete rebuilding of the tool each and every time. Most times, the parts that are causing the issues are inspected and replaced if needed.

Sometimes, factory parts are required for a repair, other times, bearings of higher ratings can be used, depending on the state of the tool itself. Each brand and variation of handpiece has a different number of bearings and gears. That’s why you need to send your most important tool to the right repair company to ensure a safe and effective repair.

Regular servicing of your dental handpiece is crucial to ensure a long and well-functioning operation of the tool. There are some tell tale signs that your handpiece needs more than routine servicing. We’ll explain the problems and their solutions below.

If you notice that your dental handpiece is turning slower than normal, there could be a problem with the motor. This could also be due to a lack of regular servicing of the dental handpiece on your part.

If your dental handpiece is vibrating more than usual, it could be a sign that there’s a problem with the handpiece itself. The simple solution is that you may simply just need to flush the handpiece out with oil as directed by your manufacturer. Simple lubrication can work wonders for your handpiece. Alternatively, the bearings inside of the tool could be loose.

Every dentist is dependent on the electric handpiece in order for the practice to run smoothly. Since it’s so versatile, the tool is also happens to be quite intricate. Proper maintenance allows the handpiece to keep running safely. The sterilization process is actually what has the greatest effect on the equipment itself, causing it to suffer wear and tear.

Since this tool is used repeatedly and is under a lot of stress from use, it’s susceptible to breaking more often. While your team can keep handpieces working well for longer periods of time through proper care, electric handpiece repair is always imminent at some point. It’s important that you choose the repair options that’s right for you and your dental office.

dental equipment

The Best Option for Your Teeth–Dental Implant Treatment

Up until fairly recently, most dentists relied on procedures such as root canals, bridges and the use of dentures as the best methods of fixing lost or broken teeth. While these methods have always been effective in some cases, for many people they did not provide a viable, long-term solution.

Root canals and bridges fail over time and dentures have proven to be uncomfortable and cumbersome to wear and use for many people. It is only through the development of methods, tools and technology that a better way to replace damaged or lost teeth has come along. The use of dental crowns and dental implants has become much more commonplace today and provide you with the best option for your teeth. Here are a few important facts you should know about dental implants.

Your dentist can evaluate your case and tell you if you are a candidate for dental implants. Structurally, a dental implant is a titanium-based cylinder that replaces the missing tooth root. After a period of time, other parts are placed on the implant to enable your dentist to eventually place a crown (cap) on the implant. Implants can also be used to support full or partial dentures, dramatically improving denture retention and stability. Your dentist may choose to perform dental X-rays by portable x-ray machine in order to check for bone density as part of preparing you for dental implants, which require an adequate density in order to support the implants.

Since a dental implants treatment by dental implant machine is most commonly used to permanently replace a missing tooth and is performed by a cosmetic dentist, many would think that one has it just for an aesthetic appeal. This isn’t always the case, even though the patient may not be aware of the dental health improvement that an implant treatment has, it does have it.

When a person is missing a tooth, the gap that’s left in their mouth enables the rest of the teeth to shift and move which can cause misalignment, a poor bite, and effect their eating habits. The bone, which will weaken more quickly, where the tooth is missing if the gap isn’t filled. This can cause the other teeth to become loose and fall out.

Having dental implants provides a wide range of benefits to everyone who uses them. These dental implants are an indecent into a life time of looking and feeling better, being healthier, and feeling comfortable and confident with your smile. Getting dental implants has become the best and most effective way to improve the lives of many people and giving them a glorious smile.

dental equipment

The Development of Dental Radiography

Dental radiography has evolved from film and chemical developers into a highly technical process that involves various types of digital x-ray machines, as well as powerful dental software programs to assist the dentist with image acquisition and diagnostic analysis of the acquired images.

“What is the main type of treatment that I provide my patients?” If you are a general practitioner, a standard 2D panorex will provide all of the imaging requirements needed for such treatments as caries detection, diagnosis of TMJ issues, OPG images, and images of the patients entire detention in a single x-ray. Many of the newer 2D panoramic units also offer extraoral bitewing imaging capability, which allows the dentist to obtain a bitewing image without putting a sensor or periapical film inside of the patient’s mouth.

Your dental X-rays allow your dentist to see the condition of prior dental procedures, such as fillings, crowns, root canals, and bridges. And, too, your dentist will be able to look for possible bone loss as a result of periodontal gum disease and find hidden tartar build up. In addition to diagnostics, your dentist may choose to perform dental X-rays in order to check for bone density as part of preparing you for dental implants, which require an adequate density in order to support the implants.

Electromagnetic radiation has been used in the medical profession for imaging and diagnostics for many years. X-radiation technology, known more simply as X-ray technology, allows accurate images to be captured of a person, animal, or thing’s internal composition. A generator uses strong electromagnetic light paired with a detector; most things, humans included, will naturally absorb some of the light, which is what allows the detector to map out images and specific locations.

Most of the earliest X-rays depended on photographic films to capture the images and make them readable. Digital detectors skip this step; rather than using light beamed through objects onto film, it allows for digital scanning and image interpretation. In terms of radiation the two are about the same initially, though digital versions typically have a shorter exposure time and as such tend to be more efficient.

Digital radiographs are becoming a popular form of dental x-ray machines. They use an electronic pad or sensor instead of a piece of x-ray film. This kind of dental x-ray machine transmits images directly to a computer. The images can be stored, printed, and compared using software to decide whether any changes have occurred over time. A technician can view two different images or multiple images on a single screen view. Digital systems even make it possible to catch dental problems sooner than with other methods and types of dental x-ray machine.

dental equipment

The Impact of Air-Driven and Electric Handpieces

The handpiece is an essential element in any dentist’s armamentarium. It is a fundamental device that can enhance—or hinder, depending on its efficiency and maintenance—the daily routine of a practice. Selecting the right handpiece is critical to helping ensure the smooth operation of everyday activities.

Innovations come and go in dentistry, with some being more impactful than others. The introduction of the air-driven handpiece nearly 60 years ago has proven to be a revolutionary advancement that genuinely changed the way dentists prepare teeth to receive dental restorative materials. The use of air-driven “high-speed” handpieces enabled clinicians to work more expeditiously with reduced trauma to the tooth and the patient. This development presented a major improvement from the “belt-driven” handpieces that preceded them and represents one of the most significant leaps forward in the era of modern dentistry.

Since it was introduced in 1957 by Dr. John Borden and DENTSPLY, several notable improvements have been made to the high-speed handpiece to make the design more ergonomic, the heads smaller for easier patient access, the turbines quieter, and bur-changing easier. Low-speed handpieces are now reserved primarily for finishing and polishing procedures, prophylaxis, and laboratory applications. Most dental delivery units contain both a low and high speed handpiece to provide the dentist with an instrument whose speed is specific to the operation that is being performed.

Electric handpieces (with variable revolutions per minute [RPM]) are also available that give dentists added benefits when compared to their traditional air-driven counterparts. One significant difference is having a specific RPM, with constant torque and less “bur chatter” (more concentric), so that when polishing or cutting through various types of tooth structure or restorative materials, the bur does not “bog down” or slow down when performing the clinical task.

In many clinical situations, an electric handpiece can perform the same functions that both an air-driven high-speed and separate low-speed unit can. Since most clinicians still prefer individual handpieces for high and low speeds so they can be more efficient chairside, this may not make a difference when choosing between the two systems; however, the higher initial investment for electric handpieces may be a consideration for some clinicians. Also, given the ability to “dial in” the desired RPM and use different contra-angles that have different gearing ratios, the electric handpiece can be custom-tailored to perform many other types of clinical procedures such as rotary endodontics, implant placement, and third molar removal (via tooth sectioning), for example. This clinical versatility is very desirable in today’s dental practices where multidisciplinary treatments are becoming increasingly common.

dental equipment

The Use of Air Polishing in Dental Implants

In most currently available units, the water stream emits through a separate nozzle that may be concentric to that of the powderladen air stream nozzle. The resulting buildup of crystalline anhydrous sodium bicarbonate deposits in the lumen of the air/powder nozzle results in clogging.

More recent technology produces a slurry by introducing the water stream into the powder-laden air stream, within the spray head at a critical moment, to produce a fully homogeneous stream that is emitted from a single nozzle. This stream technology configuration has not only been shown to prevent nozzle clogging by preventing the buildup of deposits, but also results in a much more efficient cleaning action because the slurry is formed prior to emission. Air polishing devices( like dental air polisher ) were originally designed to be standalone tabletop units. They have been considered to be the equipment of choice for the hygiene department, sometimes being combined with ultrasonic scaling devices.

Dental root form implants are manufactured from a highgrade titanium alloy, the surface of which consists of a micro layer of titanium oxide. The implant surface can also be treated by plasma spraying, acid etching, sandblasting or coated with HA. The removal of plaque and calculus deposits from these implant surfaces with Dental Instruments designed originally for cleaning natural tooth surfaces can result in major alterations to the delicate titanium oxide layer. Altering the surface topography by roughening the surface may enhance calculus and bacterial plaque accumulation.

Resulting scratches, cuts or gouges may also reduce the corrosion resistancy of titanium, and corrosion and mechanical debris can accumulate in the surrounding tissue. The aim of procedures for debriding dental implants by dental implant machine should be to remove microbial and other soft deposits, without altering the implant surface, and thereby adversely affect biocompatibility. Increased surface roughness can lead to an increase in bacterial accumulation and resultant soft tissue inflammation. Because of the critical nature of the implant/soft tissue relationship, metal ultrasonic scaler tips, hand scalers or curettes should not be used as they have been shown to significantly alter the titanium surface.

Current methods for professional cleaning of implant or titanium transmucosal elements include the set of plastic ultrasonic tips or hand instruments followed by the prophy cup polishing method or various types of floss and buffing strips. The design of the permanently cemented super structure often does not allow adequate access for the prophy cup, especially in interproximal areas, and plastic instruments are not very efficient for the removal of plaque or mineralized deposits. In addition, the prophy cup and paste method may leave residual paste at the implant/soft tissue interface area.

dental equipment

The Meaning of Dental Sandblasters

Dental health has improved dramatically with falling rates of tooth decay and attention has now shifted to the needs of an ageing population, with an increased emphasis upon aesthetics – that is, having a full set of sparkling white teeth. Therefore, dental technologists spend much of their time in the lab creating cosmetic dental prostheses such as crowns and implants. This work creates dust and chemical fumes. Without proper protection, exposure to these may risk the health of the dental technologist.

An advance in adhesive dentistry has resulted in sandblasting, to increases micro-retention, being performed as a routine procedure. Instead of wearing a path from the patient’s chair to the office lab to clean excess cement from a patient’s temporary or loosened permanent crown ,or for sandblasting the fitting surface of a crown, bridge inlay or veneer, the procedure is a half- turn away, thanks to the new breed of sandblasters and hookup options.

The uninterrupted patient/doctor exchange is especially beneficial with anxious adult patients – no need to cut the reassuring golf story short for a trip down the hall, leaving the patient alone. Standard hookup kits allow, with a simple male disconnect, access to the dental unit’s air source through the female port. Many dentists have sandblasters with quick disconnects in every operatory, and these space- efficient wonders tuck easily into a drawer.

Dental laboratory equipment–sandblasters are used to increase bond strength by divesting the casting investment and increasing effective surface area as well as polishing the surface of castings. Sandblasters that are used in dental laboratories are enclosed and often operate through a vacuum or via air compressor. Dental laboratory sandblasters are operated via foot pedal and often feature gloves to work through, this keeps everything contained. Sandblasting media can be Aluminum Oxide, glass beads or Silicone Carbide grit. Be sure to choose a dental laboratory sandblaster that employs proper dust retraction.

Dental sandblasters can also be intraoral and used in dental operatories. Also referred to as air abrasion, dental sandblasters can be used instead of dental drills in various procedures. Intraoral dental sandblasters have a variety of angled tips allowing the technician to reach any part of the mouth. These tips should be autoclavable. Be sure that if a product is used intraorally, that it is FDA approved.