5 Handpiece Mistakes Offices Make

In one week, I received 4 calls about relatively new handpieces needing to go in for an unexpected repair. The office protocols vary drastically between offices and it’s important to develop a correct one based upon the manufacturers recommendations. In those calls, there were some very alarming details about how they were actually maintaining their handpieces. For example, all 4 calls (from different offices) were wiping their handpieces down after use with a Caviwipe. That is a definitely against every manufacturers recommendations because the chemicals cause the parts to break down faster. Below, I have provided 5 common mistakes to help your office develop a correct protocol to maintain your handpieces.

1. Keep wipe-downs simple.

Remember to wipe your handpiece down with warm water, or warm water with a mild detergent, prior to lubrication and sterilization. Using strong chemicals to do this is usually unnecessary, and may even cause problems with chemical interactions during sterilization. That means do NOT use Caviwipes or other wipes. Do not submerge the handpiece in any liquid, unless the manufacturer’s manual explicitly directs you to do so.

2. Too much pressure?

Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding air pressure specifications, found in the manual. Higher air pressure does not mean higher performance. Paying attention to the manufacturer’s specifications could avoid serious damage to the turbine, regardless of whether you are working with a highor low-speed device.

3, Don’t ignore the bur.

Remember to remove your bur prior to lubricating and purging your handpiece; this allows for a more through lubrication and purge of the internal components.

4. Use an Automated Handpiece Maintenance System

If an office does not have an automated Handpiece maintenance system, they are likely to have issues before the expected lifespan of the turbine. Sometimes, offices don’t run the Handpiece at all before going into the autoclave. It’s like brushing, but not flossing. It’s not getting the smaller areas inside the Handpiece clean if this important step is not completed. The automated Handpiece maintenance system makes it easy by pressing a button and letting it do it’s job. If you only have an air station, many team members only keep it on the air station for a couple of seconds instead of the recommended 30 seconds.

4. Double-check your port.

If you are manually maintaining your Handpiece, make sure you are using the drive air port (the smaller of the two larger holes) to apply your lubricant, rather than any other opening in the handpiece. This opening is the only direct path to the turbine.