High-speed handpiece care

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Julie Innes — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 14:30:20 GMT

Update: it's fixed!!! My dad came in as some lunatic was threatening to come down (posted on another thread!) and while he was in he took a look at it and fixed it in 5 minutes! The hole where the air came in and the hole to the turny bits were somehow misaligned! He lined them up and voila!! £200 saved!!

I will now, however, be looking after it properly

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Rob Davis — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 14:33:07 GMT

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]By the way does anyone use a water distiller unit rather than buying purified? And is that ok, or does it have to be purified? I was thinking of trying to reduce our plastic use and the units aren’t very expensive. I’m guessing it would be fine for the autoclave but I’m not sure for the dental machine? [/quote]

We have used one for ages, no problems with using it in the dental machine.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Bob Russell — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 09:38:16 GMT

We distil our own, the unit is quiet and does not produce excess humidity. The moist air condenses and drips into the container.

It does produce a surprising amount of heat!

I don't understand why people buy distilled water. Our machine was a couple of hundred pounds but has worked well for donkeys years. We produce what we need when we need it! They start at about £50.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Joyce Whitehead — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 08:50:19 GMT

[quote user="Beats"]

Not trying to put you off, but consider increased humidity and damp problems that may be caused depending on the apparatus (a bit like air-drying your laundry inside versus tumbling).

[/quote]

That’s useful thanks. We actually have a lab/equine equipment room next to our stable block so we have space there, and that is well ventilated so we could put it out there.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Rob Loxley — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 00:00:45 GMT

[quote user="Beats"]

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]By the way does anyone use a water distiller unit rather than buying purified?[/quote]

Not trying to put you off, but consider increased humidity and damp problems that may be caused depending on the apparatus (a bit like air-drying your laundry inside versus tumbling).

[/quote]

Reverse osmosis system is another option

Oh, also, https://www.rootsvetdental.co.uk/uploads/handpiece-oiling-guide.pdf for which hole to oil down

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Beats — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 23:51:56 GMT

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]By the way does anyone use a water distiller unit rather than buying purified?[/quote]

Not trying to put you off, but consider increased humidity and damp problems that may be caused depending on the apparatus (a bit like air-drying your laundry inside versus tumbling).

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:51:16 GMT

Distilling your own should be fine. I thought of getting a unit but I've nowhere to put it!

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Joyce Whitehead — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 21:53:10 GMT

Thanks Evelyn, I must admit I was dubious when he told us this, but we bought the unit from Burtons and they serviced it. I’ve asked everyone to hold off the vigorous cleaning for a while.

We do indeed use purified water. By the way does anyone use a water distiller unit rather than buying purified? And is that ok, or does it have to be purified? I was thinking of trying to reduce our plastic use and the units aren’t very expensive. I’m guessing it would be fine for the autoclave but I’m not sure for the dental machine?

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Bob Russell — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:27:44 GMT

But we have a W&H handpiece that is clearly counterfeit. came from China for about £50.

(I have to admit it is very good despite this!!)

Just checked the other 'emergency' one and it appears to be a Kavo!

Either I have had the deal of the century or the counterfeiting is widespread. So just be careful where you source handpieces or buy cheap and bin when they break.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:08:40 GMT

NSK are quality.

Some of the suppliers of complete packages seem to put any old handpieces on. Some of them of course don't really understand what it is they are selling.

You shouldn't have to buy a package. You should be able to buy the basic unit and equip it with whatever handpieces you please.

iM3 supply their own branded handpieces, but they seem to be re-badged W&H ones, which is great: W&H are the bee's knees. At a price, of course.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Rob Loxley — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 13:58:16 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]Our originals are made by NSK and have lasted forever! [/quote]

Our replacement high speed handpiece was by NSK from Roots Dental - about £250 I think?

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Bob Russell — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 11:06:03 GMT

I would talk to Vet Direct as with proper maintenance a quality handpiece should last a very long time.

I cannot find any details on the manufacturer of the Vet Direct one.

They do come far more expensive but this is hardly a budget price. They should be able to repair it.

Our originals are made by NSK and have lasted forever!

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Julie Innes — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 10:45:59 GMT

I got our machine (Air Wave III) and subsequent handpiece via Vet Direct. Any recommendations of better places to get a new one , or get the old one looked at? Thanks for all advice so far!

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Bob Russell — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 09:15:31 GMT

There are some convincing copies/fakes out there. I wonder if somehow you got one of those.

I have a 'posh' handpiece in the cupboard labelled 'Made in Austria'. I suspect the closest it got to Austria would be flying over Austrian airspace on its way from China! I did pay Chinese prices for it!!

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 21:32:03 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]It is less than a year old, and we don't do huge amounts of dentals- is that about right[/quote]

No! Something's wrong. £195 is not expensive for a handpiece, but it's not cheap either.

Don't junk it, send it for repair. Replacing the cartridge will be cheaper than a new handpiece. (The repair man will be able to offer an educated guess at what, if anything, you're doing wrong – could be anything from "youi're using the wrong oil" up to "you've bought a crappy Chinese instrument").

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]When ours was serviced this year the engineer said to always use an ultrasonic bath to clean as otherwise their life is much shorter.[/quote]

I've always maintained mine according to the manufacturers' instructions and they certainly never involve an ultrasonic bath, or any sort of immersion for that matter.

Wipe or sluice gently visible soiling (there shouldn't be much) from the outside. Flush waterlines (you do use purified water, I hope). Use aerosol oil to both flush the airline and lubricate the turbine: a quick burst using the appropriate adaptor, run the handpiece (with a blank in the chuck) for a minute. Autoclave when required. Don't oil again.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Rob Loxley — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 13:41:47 GMT

Our last one did over 10 years
Always oil after use as per instructions - make sure the nurses know where to apply the handpiece oil

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Bob Russell — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 09:27:46 GMT

If you don't feel the expensive hand pieces are going to be looked after then try the semi-disposable ones on Ebay. They work and are a good thing to have in reserve if your proper one has issues.

Good hand pieces should be cared for and one of ours is about 15 years old and was still in use until I went over to LED ones.

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Julie Innes — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 08:52:03 GMT

I've just looked- I bought the last high speed handpiece in July last year at a cost of £195 + VAT! So not a cheap thing to replace regularly! Again, is this normal (the first one only lasted around 18 months, but at that point the nurses hadn't been oiling it daily, and now supposedly they are)

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Joyce Whitehead — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 08:46:10 GMT

When ours was serviced this year the engineer said to always use an ultrasonic bath to clean as otherwise their life is much shorter. We actually didn’t have one but now have!

RE: High-speed handpiece care

Julie Innes — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 08:38:21 GMT

Thanks Evelyn! I'll be ordering another but will try to see if we can revive the current one in the meantime. It is less than a year old, and we don't do huge amounts of dentals- is that about right or do you think the nurses aren't being completely truthful about the amount of oiling/ cleaning?