How to maintain dental machines and instruments

In order to perform safe and effective dental, oral and maxillofacial surgery, a practice must ensure its equipment is well maintained and in good working order. This article discusses the correct maintenance of dental machines and equipment.

Most compressor driven dental machines should be mounted on four castor wheels to facilitate their movement around the operating table, and the height adjustment knob should be checked for correct functioning to ensure the dental machine is at an appropriate height for the operator and within easy reach (Gorrel, 2004). The waste collection container (Figure 1.) should be screwed in place under the control panel, if fitted on the machine.

The clear plastic bottle is for distilled water and should be filled to the black fill-line indicated on the bottle (Figure 2.). With the tubing sitting inside the bottle it should be screwed in place, taking care to not overtighten the bottle. If there is an amber coloured bottle, this should be filled with the light-sensitive chlorhexidine (CHX)-based flush solution (Figure 3.) provided by the manufacturer at the correct dilution. Again this bottle should be screwed into place when the tubing has been inserted, taking care not to overtighten it (Figure 4.). Distilled water should always be used as it helps to prevent mineral and bacterial build-up in the dental machine.