Disposable Handpieces ?!

Preview of “A laboratory evaluation of two brands of disposabl... [Br Dent J. 1997] - PubMed result”.pdf

Have you heard of disposable handpieces?

I am interested in knowing if anyone is using them in the office?

This of course brings up the cost effectiveness and the practical use of disposable handpieces. It also touches on the longevity of standard handpieces. It takes about 8 years for the handpieces in our office to need repair of some kind (which we all know is almost equal to the purchase of a new one). If the disposable handpieces are still just as powerful and provide the necessary tork, why wouldn't you use them? Moreover, why have I not heard of them more?

Does anyone have any input?

Many years ago, before the dawn of asepsis in the dental office as we now know it... Before handpieces were reliably sterilizable, and at about the same time that HIV and AIDS became the great fear, disposable handpieces were born. I don't remember who made them, but my supply rep gave me one to try. It was essentially a plastic shell housing an air turbine and a chuck to hold a bur. I recall that it made it through some sort of prep before failing. I do remember not signing up for a shipment. Fortunately, not long after, the major handpiece manufacturers got it together and made them steam autoclavable. That had to have been at least 25 years ago... I can't see what the advantage would be to have disposable handpieces now unless you were forced to work where there was no means of sterilization... Then everything used would be going in the landfill... and expensive!

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Comments

John T. Hauge, D.M.D. May 6, 2010 at 1:26pm

Many years ago, before the dawn of asepsis in the dental office as we now know it... Before handpieces were reliably sterilizable, and at about the same time that HIV and AIDS became the great fear, disposable handpieces were born. I don't remember who made them, but my supply rep gave me one to try. It was essentially a plastic shell housing an air turbine and a chuck to hold a bur. I recall that it made it through some sort of prep before failing. I do remember not signing up for a shipment. Fortunately, not long after, the major handpiece manufacturers got it together and made them steam autoclavable. That had to have been at least 25 years ago... I can't see what the advantage would be to have disposable handpieces now unless you were forced to work where there was no means of sterilization... Then everything used would be going in the landfill... and expensive!

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