Sterilization of stomatological tools Dental

Sterilization of stomatological tools.

• Dental instruments that are laid out for use during the day must be cleaned and sterilized at the end of the day, whether or not they were actually used. Just by sitting out in a dental office, they can collect bacteria and other contaminants that could be spread to a patient if they are used without proper cleaning and treatment. They must be properly cleaned, sterilized and stored in order to prepare them for future use.

Mouth mirrors are used to examine the condition of the teeth and mouth, as well as to retract the tongue and cheeks upon examination.

Probes– There are many probes available but the main types are the straight probe, Briault probe and periodontal probe.

Dental Tweezer is used by dentists to place cotton rolls between the cheek and gum.

Scalers remove tartar (calculus) on the tooth surface as well as those hidden in the gum pockets. They can also be used to remove other surface deposits and temporary crowns.

Excavators are used to remove softened dentine and temporary fillings. The back of the blade can also be used for placing linings between filling materials. Sometimes excavators can be used for carving metal or amalgam fillings.

Condensers or pluggers are used for compressing and forming filling materials. Heavy pressure is applied on use therefore these instruments are usually used for metal or amalgam fillings.

Rotary instruments • Rotary instruments consist of burs, stones and discs. They are small instruments held in a handpiece. Rotation is made by electric motor or compressed air and is usually in two speeds: high-speed (air turbine) or low-speed hand pieces.

Burs and stones are retained in the handpiece in one of three ways: friction, latch grip or quick-release clamping chuck. Bur blades are usually made of steel, tungsten carbide or abrasive materials depending on their usage.

• Clean the dental instruments manually or through mechanical means like a thermal washer disinfector or an ultrasonic bath. Infection Control Services says that dental instruments cannot be sterilized properly unless they are thoroughly cleaned beforehand. Manual cleaning should be done in a sink specifically reserved for this purpose and they should be cleaned with non-foaming detergent and a nylon brush. They should be immersed in lukewarm water, scrubbed below the water's surface and then rinsed. If they are being cleaned in a thermal washer disinfector or ultrasonic bath, the process should be done according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Afterward cleaning through either manual or mechanical means, the dental instruments should be dried with a disposable cloth. • Package the dried items into medical grade sterilization wraps or sterilization cassettes to prepare them for sterilization. They must be properly packaged before they are loaded into the heat sterilization unit.

• Sterilize the instruments using a heat, steam, or chemical process. Heat is the usual method used in a dental setting. Use sterilization equipment that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for dental sterilization work and operate it according to the manufacturer's specific instructions.

• Storage the sterilized instruments in their intact packaging. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the packaging must remain sealed and undamaged in order to retain sterile nature of the instrument. If the packaging gets wet, tears or is damaged in some way, the instrument should be sterilized again through the same process.