When buying a dental chair, you should look for one that is ergonomic, adjustable, made of high-quality materials, and rigid. And why not? It's an expensive asset and it can make or break your dental practice. But once you get the best dental chair, how do you make sure that it lasts for decades? How can you make sure it gives its money's worth? Here are care and maintenance guidelines by part:
Dental Unit Care and Maintenance Guidelines by Part
Dental chairs come with numerous parts. Because each of these components has unique care and upkeep requirements, MES Australia has put together this guide to assist you in extending the life of your chair. Here are the various components and how to manage them:
1). Dental Chair Section
- Cleaning - Your chair's surface is made of leather. To clean your dental chair, use a dry soft cloth or a cloth dampened with water or diluted neutral detergent. Use the barrier method to keep it free from germs and reduce over-reliance on cleaning products. Avoid using solvents or detergents with abrasives or harsh chemicals as they can make the resin coating crack. You should also never use alkaline or highly acidic pipe detergent as this could damage the metallic parts.
- Chair Sterilisation - Use the disinfectant that your dental chair manufacturer recommends. They frequently test a variety of products to determine which ones work best with their fabrications. As an alternative, you can wipe and sterilise the product's exterior by misting ethanol over a soft cloth or piece of paper. Wait for the sterilisation liquid to completely dry up then clean the chair.
2). Handpiece Section
You have to be careful with this system as it can contain a lot of germs. That said, always follow the handpiece maintenance guidelines included in the dental chair instruction manuals. Moreover, use a comprehensive autoclave to sterilise the system. The autoclave can be used to sanitise the vacuum tip, saliva ejector nozzle, cap, and filter.
Remove the syringe nozzles when cleaning. Before sterilising, wash away any dirt with tap water. Following sterilisation, evenly coat the O-rings with a thin layer of vaseline. Remember to also keep the syringe in a clean and dry place. Periodically use a delicate cloth that has been dampened with alcohol or something similar to gently clean away the gunk from the handpiece hose.
The vacuum handpiece body section and saliva ejector handpiece body must be disassembled and cleaned separately. Disassemble the vacuum handpiece by pulling the cap portion and body outside. From the slide groove, remove the valve. Before sterilising, wash away any dirt with tap water. Clean the valve and cap off any debris.
Use a toothbrush to remove the dirt from the body's slide groove, and then use a suitable cleaning cloth to wipe it down. After cleaning is complete, coat the body's slide groove with vaseline. Fit the valve into the body's slide groove for reassembly, and then fit the cap portion so that it matches the body's contours.
3). Cuspidor Unit Section
After every dental treatment is finished, take out the filter from the solid collector in the cuspidor unit portion and wash it. Bear in mind that if there are too many solids in the solid collector filter, the vacuum suction will decrease. To remove the solid collector filter, remove the cover and pull the bar. Never clean using emery paper, a metallic brush, or detergent that contains a grinding agent. Moreover, metals may corrode when powerful acid detergent or alkali pipe detergents are used.
4). Doctor Unit Section
These include the dentist's Instrument holder, waste receptacle, oil mist separator, and tray mat. To clean them, use a dampened soft cloth with a gentle soap or recommended disinfectant. Remember to empty the waste receptacle and be careful with the sharp edges that can catch cotton easily.
The oil mist separator collects oil in the exhaust air from handpieces. When the oil level reaches the red line on the oil receiver container, ensure that you dump the oil. Simply rotate the oil receiver in the opposite direction to take it out. Sterilise the tray mat using alcohol or an autoclave system.
MES Australia - Buy a Quality Chair and Maintenance Will Be Easy!
Dental chairs that are dependable last for at least ten years. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your dental chair meets the industry standard. No matter how well-maintained a chair is, if it's of poor quality, it will disappoint you. Luckily, all our dental chairs can stand the test of time.
For all your medical and dental supply requirements, please call us today on 1300 342 013 or leave an enquiry.
