Keeping your Dental Instruments Looking Clean And New

                                            

A friend of mine recently told me that she needed to change dentists because her dentist used old dirty instruments.  In talking with her I discovered that her dentist has the struggle alot of offices seem to have,  keeping their instruments looking as nice as the day they were purchased.  Whether its rust, corrosion or scratches and bite marks,  your instruments tell your patient what kind of care they are going to receive.  Today's blog talks about the causes of old looking instruments and solutions that can help you restore them to their former glory and keep them looking new.


Problem:  Instruments Not Getting Clean
Solution:
1-   Make sure you are using the proper amount of cleaning solution per gallon of water in your ultrasonic.  Read the label for instructions and measure accurately.  It does make a difference!             2- Use the proper recommended cleaning time (this is 17 minutes in an ultra sonic)
3-If you are using a cassette and no longer hand cleaning your instruments, make sure you are using a dual enzymatic cleaner.

Problem: Instruments and Cassettes Getting Water Spots
Solution:
1-Instruments must be dried thoroughly before wrapping or pouching.
2-Leave Instruments in the sterilizer until the drying cycle is complete and instruments are thoroughly dry.  I see offices all the time that are needing something in the sterilizer and cut the drying time short.  When you do this you risk the instruments not being sterilized properly and almost always create water spots.
3- Make sure the pouches and wrapped cassettes are completely dry before placing them in storage.

Problem: Discoloration or Rust
Solution:
1- Mixing metals can cause a galvanic reaction.  Try to keep like metal (like instruments together)
2- If you see rust on an instrument remove it immediately.   Rust is like a virus it will spread and grow.
3- Make sure instruments are completely dry before storing.  I can't say this enough!
4- To remove rust, use Bar Keeper's Friend.  It can be found in most grocery stores near the ajax.  The early you catch the rust, the easier to remove.

Problem:  Instruments don't look new and shiny anymore
Solution:
Dip them for 10 minutes in "Shine Renew" by Hu-Friedy.

Let me add a few final tips:

Explorers become dull.  A dull explorer is not a good tool for detecting decay.  Replace all your explorers yearly.  Yes, it costs money to do this.  Its costing you more money when you miss caries because your explorer is too dull to find it.

When a mouth mirror becomes scratched  or the surface is hazed, it needs to be replaced.  You cannot provide your best quality work with only a semi usable mirror.  Replace as needed or on a yearly basis.

Plastic instruments. like tooth slooths, look like a dog has chewed them as they age.  This leads patients to think you are using someone else's instrument on them and that it isn't "clean".  Replace them often.

Watch your instruments, polish and replace them before your patient replaces you!