8 ways to avoid early handpiece demise

Posted: 23rd Mar 2020

We know that the purchase of quality handpieces can be an expensive investment and that your practice will most definitely need to renew their handpieces at some point in time. The good news is there are many ways to delay this by extending the lifetime of your handpieces.

At Trigiene Dental, we want to ensure that your investment is worthwhile, and we’ll provide you with 8 tips to improve the maintenance of your dental instruments and ensure they last for as long as possible. Read our handy tips below to save money and reduce downtime for your practice.

  1. Don’t immerse your handpieces
    Ensure you never completely immerse your handpiece in any sort of solution, as this can cause corrosion leading to serious damage. Never use any disinfectant liquids, which would lead to quicker corrosion of the mechanical parts.  Watch our video here.
  2. Ensure regular oiling and lubrication of your handpieces
    The secret to a long, happy life of a handpiece is regular and proper oiling and lubrication (read our blog post on this). Ensure you always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and you use high-quality oil to avoid continuous downtime, repairs and costs.
  3. Do not use chemicals or hot water to clean your handpieces
    Rinse the rotary instrument with plenty of cold or warm water to remove debris. Using hot water can cause blood to coagulate inside the instrument and block the bearings and clamp. Using chemicals or abrasives can damage the outer surface of the handpieces and cause them to deteriorate, while also removing the inner layer of lubrication.
  4. Keep an eye on the burs you use
    Using an incorrect bur length can be detrimental to your handpiece, especially when its’s a bur that is too long. Using dull or bent burs can lead to breakage of the cartridge or turbine. Always discard heavily worn burs which do not cut well, as these will require greater pressure, which then transmits to the bearings. The most common cause of burs becoming ‘stuck’ in the chuck is due to poor quality or bent burs.
  5. Ensure you set the proper pressure levels for your handpiece
    It is important to note that higher pressure does not lead to improved performance of your handpiece, so do not exceed the recommended air pressure. Too much pressure can lead to permanent failure of the turbine and a breakdown of your handpiece. Make sure you check the correct pressure specifications, which are usually stated in the handpiece’s user manual.
  6. Listen to your handpiece
    If you start hearing unusual noises coming from your handpiece, immediately cease using it. A rattle could mean a loose internal part, which can lead to extensive damage if you continue using the handpiece, without getting a technician to have a close look at it first.
  7. Ensure handpiece repairs are carried out by accredited repair workshop.
    Repair workshops that follow Quality control procedures to ISO9001 will have full traceability of parts to source and a rigorous non-conformance procedure in place. Manufacturers will always recommend genuine replacement parts and some quality accredited workshops can provide alternative quotes on quality generic parts that can offer equivalent warranty periods.
  1. Ensure regular servicing of your dental handpieces
    Planned preventive maintenance of your handpieces not only helps to avoid vital components from wearing out and needing to be urgently replaced, but it is also a cost-effective way to ensure your practice offers continuous dental care. Annual servicing carried out by trained engineers will reduce the chance of any unexpected problems with your dental equipment.At Trigiene Dental, we offer innovative service care plans designed to help you minimise unexpected handpiece demise and keep your practice running smoothly. Get in touch if this is of interest to you.

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