So, you have a brand new handpiece that you are just itching to see in action. Or maybe, you have old faithful that has seen a lot of procedures with you. Either way, we’re sure you know exactly what you should be doing with your handpiece. However, have you ever thought about what you shouldn’t be doing with it? We highly discourage doing the following ten things.
1. Do Not immerse
You should never immerse the handpiece in any solution. Doing so could cause corrosion inside the handpiece, which will damage it.
2. Do Not Use Dull or Bent Burs
Do not use dull or bent burs in the handpiece as it may cause breakage of the cartridge or turbine.
3. It Isn’t a Hammer
We know, it can be tempting, but please resist all urges to use the handpiece as a hammer when prepping a cavity. We suggest changing to a new bur rather than using it as a chisel. It will work much better, and will cost less.
4. Do Not Use an Incorrect Bur Length
Do not use longer burs than is recommended for your handpiece type. Certain miniature head handpieces require short shank burs and most standard head handpieces advise against using a surgical length bur.
5. It Isn’t a Cheek Retractor
Do not use the handpiece as a cheek retractor. Not only is this bad for your handpiece, but doing so could cause injury to the patient.
6. It Isn’t a Cleaner
Again, we know this may come as a shock to you. However, your handpiece isn’t a proper cleaning tool and you should avoid using it to clean the fiber optic light; it may cause damage to the glass end.
7. Do Not Operate if You Hear Odd Noises
Do not operate the handpiece if you hear an odd noise coming from it. A rattle could mean a loose internal component or a snake infestation. Probably a loose component though….probably.
8. Do Not Exceed the Recommended Air Pressure
Do not exceed the maximum recommended air pressure; it could cause premature failure of the turbine.
9. Electric Attachment – Water = NO
Never operate an electric attachment in the oral cavity without using water. We promise you are wasting much less water than those ice bucket challenges did.
10. Do Not Begin Without a Backup
Brasseler recommends at least 3 handpieces per operatory: 1 in-use, 1 back-up and 1 in sterilization from the previous case. The 3-1 rule helps ensure optimal performance, longer life of the handpiece and overall best practices.
Need a backup handpiece? We have you covered. When you are ready, hop on over to our handpieces and small equipment category where you can view our entire line of dental handpieces. If you have any additional questions, or need some additional guidance, our support team would be more than happy to assist! Simply give us a call at 800-841-4522 or shoot us an email to CustomerService@BrasselerUSA.