Dental professionals have a duty of care to implement effective disinfection measures to minimise the risk of cross-contamination. It is understood that each surface, from the magazines in the waiting room, to the dental chair in the surgery are at risk of transmitting potentially harmful infections. Robust cleaning and hygiene protocols should be implemented in accordance with HTM 01-05 and other relevant guidelines, including routine hand washing and drying with disposable paper towels.
The first step on the pathway to decontamination success is to put in place a maintenance process which suits the needs of the practice whilst considering the type of equipment that you are using. Decontamination and reprocessing are a crucial and time-consuming part of the practice’s daily routine.
So how does your general decontamination protocol fit in with prolonging the useful life of your handpieces?
Ideally, clinicians should follow a schedule that focuses on regular cleaning, sterilization, and lubrication, as well as ongoing maintenance. Most practices already have their own procedures for daily care of their handpieces but having a comprehensive understanding of how to clean and maintain handpieces and their components properly can help clinicians achieve optimal performance.
The decontamination equipment that is chosen can make all the difference to infection prevention, controlling standards and processes. Only by making an informed decision and investing in quality, reliable products will you be able to ensure consistent cleaning and sterility and provide a safe, compliant environment for both patients and staff.
The handpiece should always be lubricated prior to sterilisation. Ideally, an automatic handpiece care and maintenance system should be employed to ensure the correct measured dose of lubricant is delivered. In this case, the manufacturer’s recommended lubricants should always be used. If a manual spray is employed, excess solution should be expelled by running the handpiece after lubrication and before autoclaving. Using a handpiece maintenance device, such as the Assistina from W&H, is key to quick, efficient and comprehensive lubrication of the gearing components and cleaning of the spray channels. Due to the precisely metered quantities of lubricant, consistent oiling ensures that there is no risk of over-lubrication thereby improving the life of your handpieces.
A thermo washer disinfector with specialist handpiece attachments is regarded as best practice for disinfection before sterilisation, as the technology ensures a reproducible, validated, medically effective washing process that guarantees optimal removal of harmful proteins and decontaminants without putting team members at risk.
Sterilization using saturated steam under pressure, delivered at a high temperature is the recommended method for most instruments in the dental setting, but selecting the correct sterilizer is key. It is important to choose the right sterilizer for your needs, with a vacuum autoclave allowing for flexibility especially when reprocessing hollow or air-retentive instruments like handpieces. If investing in a new sterilizer, then a type B, allows for the sterilization of all load types and is generally considered to produce the best results, making them most effective choice for a 21st century dental practice.
Choosing decontamination equipment from a brand like W&H, who understand the needs of looking after your handpieces, can offer a comprehensive and complete solution, ensuring standards are maintained and compliance is achieved. The range includes the Thed washer disinfector, Assistina handpiece care and maintenance devices and sterilisers to meet individual practice needs. A market leader, the Lisa Type B sterilizer offers high-performance and is easy to use with cycle times from 13 minutes, offering full traceability and Real Time Remote Monitoring. The 5 litre Lisa Mini with cycle times from 10 minutes is an absolute game changer. W&H offers future proof solutions with unique upgradeability to provide flexibility to increase functionality as required to meet practice requirements.
Investing in reliable decontamination equipment ensures high standards of infection prevention and control. This is especially important in relation to the cleaning, sterilisation and maintenance of dental handpieces. By sourcing equipment from a trusted manufacturer like W&H, you can benefit from a complete range of decontamination solutions and professional support including handpiece care and maintenance training. For a synergistic approach W&H offers a full solution that can be combined to streamline your workflow, enabling you to maintain best practice and protect your investments for the long term.
Do not compromise, for full peace of mind and optimal decontamination and reprocessing of your dental handpieces, it is important that dental professionals adhere to appropriate regulations and manufacturers’ guidelines regarding cleaning, lubrication and sterilisation. For instance, dental handpieces should be thoroughly cleaned (preferably with a thermal washer disinfector) and lubricated – whether manually or with an automatic system – using the manufacturer’s recommended service oil. Ideally, handpieces should then be steam sterilised. Be aware that procedures for the correct sterilisation of instruments will vary according to the type and make of the steriliser. This will ensure that you are not let down by your decontamination equipment, with high-quality solutions from a reliable manufacturer you can be sure that your practice will remain fully compliant, and your handpieces will be dependable.
Dental handpieces are an essential part of modern dentistry, and many clinicians rely on them for optimal daily performance. Having a comprehensive understanding of how to properly clean, lubricate, and sterilize instruments is key to extending their operating life and reducing repair costs. This is crucial to preserving the lifespan of your handpieces and ensuring that they perform consistently well for the benefit of the practitioner and the patient who will have a more comfortable and safer treatment experience.
