In our ongoing quest of offering our customers the most cost-effective, efficient products that also meet or exceed the highest standards of infection control we've tackled the issue of disposable Air/Water Syringe Tips vs Reusable Metal tips. We've analyzed both sides of the issue and are confident that the choice we've made to carry only disposables air/water syringe tips is the correct one.
The Problems of Reusable Metal Tips
Infection controls standards state that when sterilizing a dental instrument, such as metal air/water syringe tips, it needs to be properly cleaned beforehand. Seeing as how the a/w syringe tip can become contaminated with bioburden or debris, its is important that metal a/w syringe tips be cleaned before sterilization.
However, studies have show that even after repeated flushing, ultrasonic cleaning and sterilization the accumulation of internal bioburden in the lumens can compromise the sterilization process. If the potentially infectious material isn't properly removed it causes a major infection control concern for the patients and practice.
Due to the time consuming proper cleaning and inefficient sterilization, many practices have made the switch to disposable air/water syringe tips.
Disposable Air/Water Syringe Tips
The CDC states that disposable AWS tips are "commonly available in a disposable form". This is due to the fact they're easier to use, more sanitary and help keep up with infection control guidelines.
When making the switch to a disposable a/w syringe tip there are a few things to consider:
- Disposable air/water syringe tips should be disposed of properly after each use.
- Some disposable AWS tips require proprietary adapters depending on the dental handpiece being used.
- When comparing the costs of disposable vs. metal tips, it's important to consider the cost of the time being spent cleaning and sterilizing the reusable tips.
The concerns of additional cost must always be weighed against the convenience and infection control benefits of disposable air/water syringe tips.
Check out our line ofdisposable air/water syringe tips online or give us a call for more information. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have.