Extend the life of your handpiece: maintenance & sterilization tips.

What is the best way to maintain a handpiece? It's one of the most common questions we hear from dental assistants across the country. It's an issue we love to discuss because after 16 years of specializing in handpiece repair, we have definitely learned the importance of proper maintenance. The cleaning and maintenance process can be confusing, but when done properly, regular maintenance can extend the life of your handpieces and ultimately save your practice a lot of money.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR SUGGESTIONS:

High-Speeds

Before I explain handpiece maintenance, it is important to understand the operation of a high-speed handpiece. When a highspeed handpiece is running, it exhausts air from the top and bottom of the head. When the user lifts off the rheostat, the physics of the handpiece are reversed. When the handpiece shuts down, the turbine aspirates debris including tooth dust, amalgam and other fine particles into the head of the handpiece. You can imagine how dirty a handpiece turbine can get if the debris is not flushed out of the head prior to autoclaving. Unless it is removed, the debris will continue to bake around the turbine resulting in premature failure.

Infection Control

High-speed handpieces need to be cleaned and lubricated between each patient. Begin by cleaning the outer shell of the handpiece using soap and water or alcohol and 2x2s. Never use a disinfectant, because any residue not removed can compromise the function of a turbine autochuck and bearings.

Remove the bur, cover the head of the handpiece with a spray guard or paper towel, and spray the handpiece with a high-grade synthetic aerosol lubricant using the appropriate adapter. Insert the nozzle adapter into the swivel backend or the back of a 4/5-hole handpiece.

Next, insert the bur and run the handpiece on an air station or handpiece purging station for 10 to 20 seconds (once normal speed is reached) to flush the debris out of the turbine before autoclaving. Repeat as necessary until the lubricant runs clear. Never run a manual handpiece on the purge station without a bur installed.

Finally, remove the bur and insert the handpiece into a bag and sterilize it. If you are using half paper and half plastic bags, remember to put the paper side up for easy evaporation. Never use dry heat and always remember to wait until the handpiece has gone through the complete drying cycle. If you are using lube-free handpieces, you can skip the lubricant and the purge station. After lubing an autochuck we feel it is better to put the handpiece on the purge station or run it without a bur in the chuck so that any loose debris can be flushed out. But do not do this with the manual chucks as they can back out of the spindle and jam in the cap.

Low-Speeds, Attachments and Scalers

For low-speed handpieces, attachments and air scalers, you'll want to use lubricant in a dropper bottle once or twice a week or as recommended by the manufacturer. Put a drop of lube on any direction (forward and reverse) or lock collars--any points where the handpiece can swivel or turn 360 degrees. We also recommend putting lube on all connection threads (Figures 1 and 2).

[FIGURE 1-2 OMITTED]

For swivel-type motors, you'll need to use an E-type or swivel-type nozzle adapter. When applying the lubricant into a 4/5-hole handpiece with dropper bottle, use the drive air tube only (Figure 3).

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

Just remember these four steps: clean, lubricate, run and sterilize if applicable.

In-Office Maintenance Demonstrations

In response to the questions we've received from customers over the years, Hayes Handpiece Company offers free in-office maintenance demonstrations for anyone interested. We cover proper maintenance procedures for high-speeds, low-speeds, swivels, scalers and attachments. We go over different types of lubricants and cleaners, and the proper air pressure for each type of handpiece. We also check your fiber optics and answer any questions about operating the autoclave. We have a partnership with DenTrek, so in association with the maintenance demonstrations, we provide an online exam and one free CF credit. You can access this at http://www.dentrek.com. We also have a CD-ROM version of the maintenance training available. This can be ordered from [e-mail].

Joe Hayes is CEO of Hayes Handpiece Company. Hayes Handpiece Company has specialized in local handpiece repairs since 1989. With 75 locations worldwide, Hayes is dedicated to providing high-quality repairs and maintenance.