It's no secret that there's a multitude of options when it comes to dental burs, and with that comes different sterilization techniques. This raises the question of how to properly sterilize dental burs when there are various types of instruments.
Just as different burs are utilized for different tasks, burs can have unique ways of cleaning and sterilization.
Before starting the sterilization process, the used or brand-new rotary instruments must be cleaned. Wearing puncture-resistant gloves, begin the process by pre-soaking the instruments in an ultrasonic cleaner or washer disinfector for five minutes to loosen debris.
If you’re cleaning diamonds or diamond discs, clean them at working speed with a Diamond Cleaning Stone.
Due to their material properties, brushes and polishers must be cleaned differently from rotary burs. Use disinfecting and cleaning agents that are suited specifically for these instruments, and mix the solution by observing the indicated concentration.
When the burs are finished soaking, brush away any remaining debris with a
metal cleaning brush or – especially when cleaning ceramic instruments – with a
softer nylon cleaning brush, and rinse the instruments under water.
Then, air blast the burs to make sure they’re completely dry.
Next, ensure you have a sterilized bur block, like our
9949L3, readily available to place the clean burs in. To make sure your bur block is sterilized, rinse the bur block under water, air blast it dry, seal the bur block in a sterilization pouch and sterilize it in the autoclave.
Put the burs into an autoclave to sterilize your instruments. We suggest running your autoclave for 30 minutes at 121 degrees Celsius, or for four minutes at 134 degrees Celsius. This may vary depending on your brand and instruments.
After your instruments have been sterilized in the autoclave, remove and check them for defects to ensure there’s no corrosion. Steel instruments may corrode when sterilized in the autoclave.
If the instruments have not been damaged, they are ready to be used on a procedure.
It can be exhausting remembering the different tactics for ensuring you properly sterilize your burs. Following our General Instructions for Use Guide, which is included in every order, will guarantee you get the best quality of life out of your dental instruments.
About The Author
Hannah Bucciarelli
Komet USA’s Content Marketing Specialist
Hannah Bucciarelli has been the content marketing specialist at Komet USA since 2021. She focuses on copywriting, social media management and content management in the dental industry.