TECHNIQUE CLINIC
The photographs above show a lower plastic retainer appliance "BEFORE" and "AFTER."
The photograph on the upper left shows the appliance coated with tartar.
The appliance was placed in an ultrasonic cleaner for 5 minutes, at which point it was removed, brushed lightly with soap and water, and rinsed. The results are seen in the photograph on the upper right.
There are quite a variety of ultrasonic cleaning machines on the market. This particular job was done with a Pro-Sonic Denture Cleaner which costs in the neighborhood of twenty dollars. This tiny machine has been office tested for over a year, in daily use, functioning as a cleaner for plastic appliances and for cleaning cement off band pushers and other hand instruments. There are machines that are even less expensive. Schick and Ronson each have one. There are machines that are larger and more expensive. They are capable of handling cement slabs.
Most plastic appliances pick up some tartar and stain. With an ultrasonic cleaner these can be removed easily and quickly. For patients who have a greater than average tendency to deposit tartar and stain on their plastic appliances, it might be a good suggestion that they buy one of the inexpensive ultrasonic denture cleaning machines and use it at home.
Cleaning cement off band pushers and other hand instruments is a matter of a few minutes time immersed in the ultrasonic bath. It no longer need take your assistant's time and energy to do this job. In addition, your instruments will stay in better condition if they are not constantly abraided with wire brushes in order to clean them.
The ultrasonic cleaner will also do an effective job cleaning the cement off bands that have been removed from the mouth. The solution itself can be used on a cloth to clean cement from dental equipment. Frequently, cement will transfer from the operator's fingers to his dental light, air syringe, or dental chair. If you try to remove it by scraping, you scratch your chrome and remove your paint.
Once you put an ultrasonic cleaning machine in your office, you will find it to be an indispensible aid.
