Electric Advantage: Reduced Aerosol Spray
Cleanliness and precision are incredibly important in all medical industries, but especially now and in very specific ways within the dental community. With such close proximity to the patient’s mouth, it is easier for dentists to come into contact with bacteria. Fortunately, electric handpieces provide dentists with an ability to reduce airborne bacteria and, in the case of Bien-Air electrics, to sanitize critical components of the handpiece before moving to the next patient.
Bien-Air electric handpieces offer two advantages in addressing cross contamination: a decrease in the amount of aerosol generated due to the precision of the water coming out of the handpiece, and a sterilizable anti-retraction valve. For Marty Jablow, DMD, the introduction of Bien-Air electrics has allowed him to practice more safely and create greater trust with patients, especially at a time where cross-contamination is a major concern.
Dr. Jablow is the president of Dental Tech Advisors and owner of The Dentists of Woodbridge, located in Woodbridge, NJ. As a user and advocate of electric handpieces, Dr. Jablow speaks highly of the benefits and advantages of Bien-Air products, especially the increased safety measures.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, safety margins and cross-contamination have become even more of a concern. As dental professionals are learning more about how the airborne spread of the virus, it is important that aerosol spray is reduced to ensure both patient and dentist safety. Aerosol is unavoidable as compressed air interacts with saliva, but an electric attachment with limited water spray is the best option for decreasing the “aerosol effect.”
Why is a sterilizable anti-retraction valve important? Water spray retraction occurs in every dental delivery unit when the user lifts their foot off of the foot-control. Any contaminant inside the mouth will be retracted into the tubing. Since the dental handpiece tubing is not sterilizable, when a new handpiece is connected, it is now contaminated.
“When using a Bien-Air electric handpiece, dentists have the benefit of an anti-retraction valve placed inside that handpiece that can now be sterilized, so there's no ability for you to cross contaminate patients inside of the handpiece. Competitors’ electric handpieces locate the anti-retraction valve in the coupling, which is not autoclavable,” Jablow explains. “So overall, you have an increased safety margin for cross-contamination of patients.”
While the information surrounding safety margins and cross-contamination are new and seemingly constantly changing, Bien-Air’s safety margins have always been ahead of the curve. The separate motors and anti-retraction valve allow for thorough sanitation and eliminates cross-contamination.
“Bien-Air has been a leader in electric handpiece technology, and it's not that they're responding to current events, It's something that they've always done,” Dr. Jablow shared. “There’s always been the anti-retraction valve, the precision of those handpieces is there—it’s made well. Additionally, you get the benefits from the fact that those electric handpieces, due to the precision and the way they're manufactured, control air-water spray to reduce air assaults.”
From the reduction of aerosol spray and the extra safety measures built into the handpieces, Bien-Air electric products provide an effective and safe way of operating no matter what health circumstances we’re living through.