Understanding the Importance of Dental Turbine in Modern Dentistry

 

Dental Turbine

What is a Dental Turbine?

A dental turbine is a small high-speed electric handpiece or rotary instrument that dentists use for various procedures such as cleaning, drilling, and polishing teeth. The turbine gets its name from its rapid rotational speed produced by compressed air flowing into a chamber that spins the cutting instrument.

How does a Dental Turbine Work?

A dental turbine functions through air turbine technology. It contains a turbine wheel inside a casing. Compressed air is channeled through a nozzle onto the turbine wheel's finely balanced blades, causing them to spin at incredible speeds upwards of 200,000 RPM. This rotary motion is transferred through reduction gears to a chuck or handpiece attachment at the other end. Dentists can then place various drill bits, polishers or prophylactic cups onto the chuck to perform different procedures on the teeth. The turbine offers precise control due to its small size and light weight.

Applications of the Dental Turbine

Some common applications where dental turbines are used include:

Tooth Preparation for Restorations: The high-speed rotary cutting action of the turbine makes it suitable for swiftly removing decayed tooth material or shaping teeth prior to applying fillings, crowns and veneers. It results in smooth cavity walls.

Tooth Polishing: Low-speed Dental Turbines coupled with rubber prophylactic cups help remove stains and smooth rough surfaces, achieving a shiny finish. They play a key role in cleaning and protecting teeth.

Root Canal Treatment: Endodontists rely on specially designed long and narrow burrs attached to turbines to clean and shape root canals. The rotary cleaning motion aids in thorough debridement inside narrow root structures.

Teeth Whitening: In office teeth whitening procedures often use a polishing cup or strip attached to a turbine to activate and accelerate the whitening gel, enhancing its effects.

Dental Implant Surgery: Implant dentists use piezoelectric or laser surgery along with rotary burs driven by turbines for precise bone cutting and implant placement with minimal trauma to surrounding tissues.

Advantages of Dental Turbines over Other Alternatives

Compared to other rotary systems like air motors or electric handpieces, dental turbines offer unique advantages:

Higher Speeds: Turbines spin at faster speeds above 200,000 RPM, far exceeding other systems. This speed enables quicker tooth preparation and smoother polishing/cleaning.

Lighter Weight: Weighing between 100-250 grams, turbines are 25% lighter than alternative systems. Their ergonomic lightweight design prevents hand fatigue in dentists.

More Precise: Turbines allow greater tactile control and response while working on finer details close to nerves and gums. The lightweight handpiece wanders less under pressure.

Quieter Operation: Turbines produce less noise pollution compared to noisier air motors. Patients find turbine noise more tolerable during procedures.

Longer Lifespan: Titanium and ceramic construction means turbines can function smoothly over 10,000 hours before replacement. This makes them more durable and economical.

Autoclavable: Turbine components like rotors and casings remain sterilizable through steam autoclaving. This ensures hygienic reuse and protection against cross-contamination.

Drawbacks of Dental Turbines

While dental turbines are indispensable tools in modern restorative and cosmetic dentistry, they can pose certain limitations:

High Initial Cost: The cost of purchasing a dental turbine system inclusive of additional buyable handpieces is substantially high compared to cheaper alternatives.

Requirement of Compressed Air Supply: Turbines need an external air compressor to function, unlike newer self-contained electric units. This dependency can inconvenience mobile practices.

Stalled turbine accidents: Turbines stall or break if supply pressure drops, potentially causing damage. Regular maintenance prevents this.

Electric motor noise: The loud noise of drive motor compressing air for supplying to turbine may disturb patients more than quieter electric motors.

Burr Incompatibility: Some turbine brands/models limit the type of burrs and speeds usable, unlike universal electric or air-driven systems.

Challenges with Turbine Maintenance

Dental turbines require meticulous care and maintenance to uphold their performance and lengthen working lifespan. Some key maintenance aspects to consider include:

Lubrication: Both the rotor bearings and drive system need periodic lubrication as per manufacture guidelines to keep friction minimal.

Filter replacement: Compressed air filters collect debris and need replacing every 500-1000 hours of use or sooner.

Drive belt tension: Periodic checking and adjustment of drive belts keeps turbine torque transmission optimal.

Autoclave sterilization: Following autoclave guidelines prevents overexposure that can corrode or damage turbine components over time.

Disinfection: Cleaning external surfaces daily with approved disinfectant sprays guards against cross-contamination.

Inspections: Regular inspections for wear and tear by a technician help detect repair needs before turbine failure occurs.

Technical support: Consultation with manufacturer technical experts aids in resolving performance-related issues.

Proper record maintenance documents all maintenance tasks and turbine working hours, helping assess end-of-lifespan more accurately for replacement planning.

Modern dental practices greatly rely on efficient and precise dental turbines for most intraoral procedures. While more expensive initially than alternatives, turbines offer improved ergonomics, control, speed and longer lifespan when maintained well. Understanding the technology and following maintenance protocols keeps a turbine's peak functionality sustained over many years of heavy clinical usage. With appropriate care, turbines prove a highly valuable investment for any dentist.

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About Author:

Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)