In a modern dental clinic, we use a multitude of instruments every day that allow us to carry out treatments effectively and quickly. One of the most important pieces of equipment in a dental clinic is the compressor, as it is responsible for many others working, such as turbines or dental equipment.
However, there is the possibility that you know little about your clinic's dental compressor, and you are hesitant to use, care for and purchase a dental compressor. Therefore, in this article we want to give all the keys to know how to choose the most appropriate compressor for your dental clinic.
The dental compressor: How does it work?
The dental compressor has the function of producing compressed air that is stored in a high pressure tank so that it can be used at any time. This air is then taken to the dental equipment through tubes designed for this purpose. Dental compressors consume electrical energy to produce this compressed air, and must have sufficient power to generate compressed air faster than we consume it in the dental clinic.
Compressors are used in many fields (industry, automotive, etc.) but dental clinic compressors have unique specifications for hygiene and quality of air produced, so only dental compressors should be used in the clinic.
The dental compressor is "the lung", and one of the main tools of the clinic, since with it we perform most of the treatments. In addition, it is one of the elements that can give us more problems if we do not choose the right model and do the maintenance you need.
In the market we have many types of dental compressors, of different sizes, prices and origins. It is good to know them in order to choose the most suitable one.
Oil-lubricated compressors:
Compresores lubricados con aceite
The compressors compress the air by means of a piston that rises and falls very quickly. The movement of this piston causes friction with the walls of the cylinder where it is housed, and must be lubricated so that it does not "flu" and gets stuck. In order to carry out this lubrication, compressors used in industry and the automotive industry use oil.
In these compressors, part of the oil ends up in the compressed air, generating toxic waste that would be harmful for the patient and for the professional if used in a dental clinic.
Dry compressors ( without oil )
Clean, uncontaminated air is required for dental treatment. For this reason, modern compressors for dental practice are always oil-free compressors or dry compressors.
Dry compressors must be manufactured with high precision. This, together with the fact that their cylinders and pistons are lined with a self-lubricating material, means that there is virtually no wear and tear and no residue is generated that ends up in the compressed air.
The durability of dry compressors has traditionally been lower than that of oil-lubricated compressors, as oil is a great lubricant and reduces temperature and surface wear. However, the precision with which modern dental compressors are manufactured and the quality of today's materials mean that they already have a durability similar to that of oil-lubricated compressors.
Compressors with air dryer
Dental compressors take air from the environment and then compress it and store it in a tank. This air always has a percentage of humidity, which, depending on the location, is usually higher or lower.
By compressing the air, it decreases its capacity to carry moisture, and if it was high, it can condense on the walls of the tank, the compressor. If this is the case, the compressor tank should be emptied of water on a regular basis.
To avoid this, there are compressors that incorporate an air dryer, and remove most of the moisture from the air before compressing it. This means that compressing the air does not condense humidity inside the compressor boiler and we do not have to empty it so often. Prestigious manufacturers such as Durr Dental or Cattani, incorporate the air dryer as standard in their dental compressors.
How to choose the best dental compressor for our clinic?
There are several questions we should ask ourselves before buying a dental compressor, to choose the most appropriate one.
Dry or oil-lubricated compressor?
To install it in a dental clinic you should undoubtedly choose a dry compressor, as the quality of the air produced will be much better.
Compressor with air dryer or without air dryer?
If the relative humidity of the air is high, for example, in coastal sites, we should choose a compressor with air dryer, because if we do not have it, the compressor will give us many problems of condensation of water inside.
If we are in a place with a very low relative air humidity, we can do without the air dryer and save some in the purchase of the compressor. However, the dryer is something that always benefits the compressor, and will make it need less maintenance.
Which compressor size should I choose?
The maximum pressure supplied by dental clinic compressors will always be similar regardless of the size of the compressor we choose, as the equipment always works at similar pressures. On the other hand, the air flow produced by the compressor will vary.
We will have to choose a compressor that has the capacity to produce at least the same flow of air as the dental equipment that is going to operate simultaneously.
Dental compressors can have one, two, three or more cylinders, depending on the flow of air to be produced. The size of the boiler is also important, since the more air the boiler can store, the less time the compressor motor will have to work.
