A Dentist’s Daily Routine

The first appointment of the day, and the vacuum pumps are already set up and ready for use. At the dentist’s office, vacuum plays a vital role in keeping treatments hygienic and safe for dentist and patient alike. A variety of dental procedures use it – and vacuum pumps from Busch provide it.

A dentist’s office has a wide array of equipment to help maintain patients’ oral hygiene: Special lighting and chairs, a variety of metal implements, and more complex systems such as an x-ray machine and drill. Two such complex systems use vacuum to ensure that neither dentist nor patient has any negative effects from their visit.

Safe and comfortable treatment

Today’s first patient has been suffering from toothache and needs a filling. First, the tooth must be drilled. Alongside the drill, the dentist uses a suction device. This useful tool is not only used during fillings, but also other cleanings and cosmetic treatments. It makes the procedure more comfortable for the patient by removing excess saliva, and reduces the possibility of aerosolized saliva, which can cause germs, bacteria, and viruses to become airborne. The suction device is also invaluable for treatments that need a dry environment to create a strong bond, such as when gluing a filling in place. It maintains a constant vacuum level to suction in saliva and air, ensuring that treatments have their expected result.

Effective sterilization

When the drilling is finished, the cavity filled, and the patient has left, the instruments need appropriate cleaning before the next procedure can begin. This avoids cross-contamination between patients by killing any harmful particles that could cause infection or disease. In an autoclave, the instruments are exposed to saturated steam: steam that has been heated to a sufficiently high temperature such that all water droplets have evaporated. However, for proper sterilization, the entire surface of each instrument must have direct contact with the steam throughout the entire process – which can be a challenge when it comes to more complex shapes or hollow instruments. These spaces can be filled with air, meaning that the steam never or only partially penetrates them. A vacuum pump from Busch extracts the air from the autoclave before sterilization begins, ensuring that all air pockets are removed and that the injected steam envelops the equipment. Once the cycle is finished, the instruments are vacuum dried and leave the autoclave free of harmful bacteria.