5 Things To Consider When Buying A Handpiece

Laurence Bohan

Content Writer

Laurence Bohan

Content Writer

Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.

Dental handpieces are among the most important tools that a dentist uses on a day-to-day basis. Here are some of the elements that you should give thought to if you’re looking for a first-class product that suits your clinical needs and preferences.

Air Driven vs Electric Handpieces

Handpieces are powered one of two ways – by air or electricity. Which one you choose will determine speed and usability, as they both offer something very different.

Air-driven handpieces, for instance, tend to have a higher speed with a lower torque. They are lighter, easier to handle and smaller in head height than those using electric motors and, as such, are a popular option.

Speed-increasing handpieces using electric motors, although often heavier and slower, make both the speed and torque easier to control thanks to a promised consistency that does not decrease with resistance or an increased load. It’s also important to note that electric motors are considerably quieter with less vibratory output.

Speed-increasing handpieces, like the Synea Fusion from W&H, offers a wealth of features that make it reliable, efficient, and easy-to-use.

The W&H speed-increasing handpiece is used in conjunction with an electric motor, allowing it to run at maximum speeds of 200,000 rpm whilst offering impressive torque, control and precision. Due to the maximum speeds being lower, aerosol creation is reduced.

Light Source

Handpiece illumination continues to improve beyond recognition with the advent of enhanced LED. The colour rendering index (CRI) is an important aspect of artificial illumination, with a perfect colour rendition having an index value of 100.

Therefore, you need to be looking for a handpiece that offers a CRI of over 90 which will give you the rich colour contrasts necessary for a life like view. Choose carefully as there are many different offerings giving varying levels of enhanced visibility and reduction of eye stress.

Select an LED which offers daylight grade illumination as it is kinder on your eyes, gives improved visibility, better colour definition and reduced heat such as the W&H LED+ handpieces.

If you are looking for a turbine that offers shadow free illumination, the ideal solution is a handpiece that has a ring of LED lights integrated into the instrument head, such as the Synea Vision range from W&H, as this ensures a wide area of illumination with no shadowing or obstruction.

Be aware that purchasing a handpiece that ticks all the clinical boxes is a must, but if it can’t ensure ongoing rigorous sterilisation, then it will not prove to be a good investment long-term.

Decontamination is an essential part of daily practice, with every instrument reprocessed multiple times a day, sometimes six days a week. Ultimately, only a quality-made handpiece that has been designed with sterilisation in mind will be able to withstand such a demanding routine without compromising on functionality or performance.

Equally important is choosing a handpiece that can be easily maintained, particularly in regard to oiling, as lubrication is essential for longevity and performance. For consistent handpiece cleaning and lubrication, it is well worth looking at a handpiece maintenance system such as the Assistina One or Assistina Twin from W&H.

Only purchase handpieces that adhere to all current regulations for health and safety and other guidance including regarding thermo-washer disinfection and sterilisation so that you make sure that you have future proofed your investment.

Sterilisation and maintenance

A simple definition of CAD/CAM dentistry is the use of digital software to design and manufacture dental restorations and prostheses. CAD stands for computer-aided design and CAM stands for computer-aided manufacturing. The technology can be used to create crowns, dentures, inlays, onlays, bridges and veneers among other things. The speed of the CAD/CAM process allows for dental prosthetics to be designed, manufactured and delivered to the patient in quick time, sometimes the same day. The wider system of using computer assisted technologies to produce restorations is known as CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Aesthetic Ceramics).

After Care

Be sure to check what level of aftercare service would be available to you should you purchase a particular handpiece, otherwise you might find yourself out of pocket.

Choosing a manufacturer that offers comprehensive aftercare will ensure you have access to technical support from qualified professionals, regular servicing, an attractive warranty, and a quality repair service that uses authentic replacement parts.

To prolong the useful life of your handpieces and to protect both the patient and the team from the risk of cross contamination, it is important that the dental team follow a strict infection control regime.

When selecting your handpiece, it is worth identifying whether the manufacturer can meet all your needs, whether they are able to offer a full range of products, local service support, care and maintenance training and the appropriate solutions for decontamination. You should be given guidance on the products available to assist you in looking after your handpieces, such as automatic handpiece care systems like the Assistina which provides a fast, consistent and effective cleaning and lubrication procedure.