Are you studying dentistry or about to start your degree and are a little overwhelmed with the sheer variety of products and materials you will need? At Dentaltix we are aware of this difficulty, where the bewilderment of the enormous variety of brands and characteristics makes it difficult to make the right choice of material.
What does a student need? It's simple: performance but without paying a premium on overly specialised instruments where their complexity can work against them.
Let's get started! Among the most important products for dental students are:
- Articulators (find more info on how to choose them here).
- Rotary instrumentation.
And it is on the latter that we are going to focus in this blog article: we are going to delve into the frequent doubts that may arise when selecting the rotary instrument kit. Whether you already have a rotator kit or are thinking of getting one, we look forward to helping you!
What parts are usually included in rotary instrument kits?
In a student kit you will normally find:
- Turbine
- Contra-angle
- Handpiece
- Micromotor (some universities do not ask for micromotors, but usually they do).
Is it better to buy a rotary kit for dental students or each instrument separately?
Although you can buy your turbine, contra-angle handpiece, handpiece and micromotor separately, we definitely recommend you take advantage of the benefits of buying them in kit form:
- The manufacturers make a special effort to enter the world of students and offer a much cheaper price in kit form, than buying each part separately.
- The kit includes a practical carrying case where you can comfortably carry your instruments to the university and make sure they are well protected.
- Most manufacturers offer a warranty on the kit for the entire career until the end of the studies. Whereas separately, each instrument has its own warranty period, which is usually one year.
Rotary connection types: What does Multiflex, Unifix, Sirona, RotoQuick connection mean?
Turbines and micromotors receive their power through the coupling, the intermediate unit between the rotator and the equipment hose. Different brands have been perfecting their couplings to make them quicker to assemble and disassemble without losing precision.
Thus, one of the most widespread connections is the Multiflex developed by Kavo. Most brands have turbines and couplings compatible with this technology and nowadays it is not necessary to pay a huge amount of money to have a high performance turbine. Other well-known types of couplings are the Unifix from Bien Air or the Roto Quick from W&H.
We recommend the purchase of equipment with Multiflex connection for students, as it is the most widespread, in the future it can be used to improve or expand some of the components without having to renew the complete kit, or in case of failure there are more alternatives and ease of repair.
Another point to take into account is that there are different types within each system and they are NOT compatible with each other, a Multiflex LED turbine needs the Multiflex coupling with LED, in the following picture the peculiarities of each system are detailed:
In the coupling there are also different rear hose connections with different peculiarities, the most widespread in Europe and universities is the Midwest 4 (or four-hole). At Dentaltix we also have some kits with Borden connection (2 holes) and to make it more complicated, there are also different Midwest 4 kits depending on whether the unit has a light or not. A rotary with LED will usually work with a normal hose but the light will not come on.
If you buy the rotary instruments separately, make sure they are compatible with each other or in the end the search for small savings may prove more expensive.
Rotator kit... with or without coupling?
On the other hand, there are kits without coupling, this is possible as the rotators are directly connected, most of them with Midwest 4 output to the hose, these kits are also suitable for students.
As they are simplified, their price is lower and with proper lubrication they are just as effective, as a negative point when working with patients with them to change instruments you have to unscrew the entire instrument as opposed to the speed that a quick coupling provides.
Rotatories with light or without light?
.
Is it worth paying more for equipment with light? From our point of view... YES! first dental internships mark the professional future and extra help is always better.
The prices have been balanced and the difference is hardly noticeable, better visibility brings greater speed and accuracy, as well as avoiding straining the eyes or improper posture.
An interesting alternative is the self-generated light couplings; their function similar to a bicycle dynamo provides light at the expense of whether the hose connection has light or not, illumination in any place and situation, ideal for older equipment or highly mobile dentists.
What is the importance of refrigeration in dental rotary instruments?
Most clinical protocols nowadays require dental treatments to always be carried out under refrigeration.
Especially with high-speed turbines, which are becoming increasingly popular, and avoid overheating of tissues that can lead to pulp iatrogenesis, they also help to keep the clinical field clean and clear of debris.
All the turbines available on our website include internal cooling, from a simple spray to the most advanced systems with four continuous cooling jets.
In the other equipment of the kit, the contra-angle handpiece or the handpiece, the importance of cooling is less important. This is because cooling is not always suitable for touching up plaster casts, denture models or polishing a restoration. What you need to consider here is whether you are thinking of the kit as a future investment or just looking to equip yourself with enough basic kit for university.
Which are the most suitable instrument materials?
All dental instruments must be made of high quality metal to withstand the harsh clinical conditions and to ensure durability after disinfection and sterilisation without wear and tear or effects on patients.
Caution! Beware of purchasing replicas in instruments, which you will probably find on portals with very cheap products of dubious origin. In addition to their poor quality and composition of materials, not having EU warranties can lead to financial penalties. Most importantly, by buying these products you put your patients at risk.
At Dentaltix all Rotary Kits are made of the highest quality steel. We also have some models coated in chrome alloys to provide greater hardness and even in titanium, which in addition to strength also achieves a reduction in weight that facilitates handling and ergonomics.
Whatever your choice, All our kits come with a warranty until the end of studies and free revisions.
Ceramic or metallic bearings?
Bearings are small spheres inside the rotor of the rotator head. The milling cutter is inserted into the rotor and is rotated by these spheres. Given the increasing complexity and shrinkage of rotators, better materials are needed.
The most common bearings are usually made of metal and the higher quality rotors are shielded or watertight and have an anti-backlash system to prevent dirt and liquids from getting inside.
The latest advance is ceramic bearings, as ceramic provides weight savings, prevents overheating in long-term treatments and is more resistant to wear than steel.
All of these features help to extend the life of the instrument, result in less noise and make the rotary easier to operate with a better tactile feel and ergonomics.
What will I have to do to maintain my rotary instruments?
.
It is essential that you carry out a good cleaning and lubrication after each use, it will prevent many problems and breakdowns.
- Preparation.
- Cleaning
- Disinfection
- Lubrication
- Sterilisation
We hope you found this post useful! But if you have any questions about kits or any material for your practices, do not hesitate to write to hello@dentaltix.com. Remember we have student offers waiting for you.
And if you want to be the first to be informed of all the latest news in the sector, we invite you to follow us on social networks and youtube channel. We’ll be waiting for you!