Dental unit

Marwa ibrahim
Ultrasonic Scaler:
The ultrasonic scaler is attached to the dental unit and
used during prophylaxis (teeth cleaning procedure )
and periodontal procedures.
Small tips attach to the ultrasonic scaler.
The scaler has a vibrating action that remove hard
deposits, such as calculus, and other debris from the
teeth.
Con…

Operating Light:
Used to illuminate the oral cavity during a dental
procedure.
The operating light is attached to the dental chair
or mounted to the ceiling.
Both the operator and the assistant should be
able to adjust the position of the light.
Operating lights are easier to move, more
flexible, and direct less heat on the patient.
The light has a control switch for high and low
intensities, an on/off switch, and handles on both
sides.
Dental Curing Light:
A dental curing light is a piece of dental
equipment that is used for polymerization of
light cure resin based composites.
The curing light has a small motor that
produces the high intensity light, a wand, a
protective shield, a handle, and trigger to
turn the light on and off.
The light used falls under the visible blue
light spectrum.
There are four basic types of dental curing
lights:
1- The Tungsten halogen.
2- Light-emitting diode (LED).
3- Plasma arc curing (PAC).
4- Laser.
Con…

Amalgamator:
The amalgamator is a small machine that mixes dental
amalgam and some dental cements. (Silver filling)
Dental unit
Dental radiographic units are used for imaging dentition (the makeup
of a set of teeth including their kind, number, and arrangement),
individual tooth anatomy (i.e., crown, neck, root), and dental problems
(e.g., caries) in adult and pediatric patients, as well as for orthodontic
planning and assessment.
Depending on the type of unit, three types of imaging can be
performed:
1. Intraoral
2. Panoramic
3. cephalometric radiography.
Intraoral radiography
Intraoral radiography requires the dental film to be placed inside the
patient’s mouth for bitewing, periapical, and occlusal imaging.
1. Bitewing radiographs show the interproximal spaces, the crowns, the
upper third of the roots, and the crest of the alveolar bone of both the
maxillary and mandibular arches.
Bitewings are useful for detecting dental caries, faulty restorations, and
calculus, especially in the areas between the teeth.
During x-ray exposure, the patient holds the film in place by biting
down on a tab attached to the film packet or a specialized film holder
1. Periapical radiographs picture the entire tooth and surrounding area,
including the apex of the root .
Periapical radiographs are used to examine the teeth, bone, and
surrounding tissues. Pathological conditions can be diagnosed and
confirmed with this type of radiograph.
1. Occlusal radiographs show the masticating surface of the premolars
and molars.
Panoramic systems
Panoramic systems acquire an image of the entire mandibular and
maxillary jaws by rotating the x-ray source and detector around the
patient, thus obtaining a panoramic view. In panoramic radiography,
images of the maxillofacial region are acquired using a rotating x-ray
beam and an external film cassette; the dental arch is then depicted in a
single image as a fixed elliptical shape.
 Digital dental radiography systems, also called digital dental imaging
systems, are used to produce computer-generated images as an
alternative or in addition to traditional dental x-ray films.
Direct digital dental imaging and image processing allow:-
1. real-time display of multiple images,
2. eliminate the waiting time associated with x-ray film developing.
Digital dental imaging can be used for endodontics, implantation
planning and evaluation, and other dental procedures that require
multiple images.
cephalometric radiography.
Dental radiographic units
Intraoral, panoramic, and cephalometric dental radiographic units
consist of
1. an x-ray generator
2. x-ray tube
3. a collimator
4. an exposure timer
5. patient-positioning features, and a control panel.
The configuration of these components depends on the type of
radiography performed and the type of x-ray generator used.
The x-ray generator modifies incoming voltage and current to provide
the x-ray tube with the power needed to produce an x-ray beam of the
desired peak kilovoltage (kVp) and current (measured in milliamperes
[mA]) .
for dental radiographic examinations. The kilovoltage (also referred to
as the tube potential) for various dental x-ray systems can range from
50 to 110 kV, and the tube current can range from 1 to 20 mA,
depending on the model.
Some units offer a fixed setting (e.g., 70 kV, 10 mA), and others offer a
range of selectable kV and mA settings (e.g., 57 to 85 kV, 5 to 10 mA).
 X-ray generators are classified according to their waveform—the
variation of the tube potential over time.
Dental x-ray generators are either
1. half-wave,
2. self-rectified alternating current (AC) generators, or high-frequency,
3. direct current (DC) (also called constant-potential) generators.
With AC generators, the tube potential varies from zero to the kVp and
back to zero with each pulse of the AC. The x-ray tube acts as a
rectifier by blocking current flow away from the target during the
negative half of the AC cycle; therefore, only one-half of each
electrical cycle is used to produce x-rays.
With high-frequency or multipulse generators, full-wave rectification
and a higher operating frequency reduce voltage ripple to less than 1%.
With DC generators, the tube potential is maintained at a constant kV,
and the waveform output is virtually ripple-free. Ripple, expressed as a
percentage of the maximum voltage, is the difference between the
minimum and maximum x-ray voltages, or the voltage variation across
the x-ray tube
. X-ray generators with a lower ripple have a greater x-ray output and
are therefore more efficient. In units with constant-potential, high-
frequency generators, the x-ray generator is usually small enough to be
integrated with the unit; a separate housing unit may be required for
larger AC generators. High-frequency generators are necessary for
panoramic and cephalometric systems and recommended for intraoral
systems.
Most x-ray tubes used in intraoral dental radiography have stationary anodes
with heat capacities ranging from 7,000 to 50,000 heat units (HU).
Rotating anodes with higher heat capacities are used in panoramic systems
since the longer exposures generate more heat.
The size of the focal spot (the region of the target anode bombarded by
electrons from which x-rays are produced)ranges from 0.3 mm in units with
rotating anodes to 1 mm in units with stationary anodes.
A smaller focal spot size produces an image with higher resolution; however,
in tubes with stationary anodes, the total output and intensity of the x-ray
tube must be restricted to prevent overheating of the target. Because the
electrons are not continuously bombarding the same region of the target in
rotating anodes, smaller focal spot sizes are possible.
 Intraoral radiographic units
In intraoral units, the x-ray tube is located in a
tubehead, which also contains a collimator for
shaping the x-ray beam and reducing scatter
radiation.
The tubehead is usually mounted on an
articulating arm positioned according to the view
desired; the arm can be wall mounted, ceiling
mounted, or attached to a floor-mounted or
freestanding column base.
The patient-positioning system varies depending
on the type of unit .
For intraoral bitewing and periapical radiography,
plastic positioning devices that consist of a film
holder, a biteplate, and indicator rods or rings
may be used to help the operator properly align
the x-ray beam with the film.
The exposure time is based on the type of film or
detector used and is selected by the operator.
Typical exposure times for intraoral units are 0.01
to 4 seconds.
Extraoral radiographic units
In panoramic and cephalometric units, an external flat film cassette or
digital detector and an x-ray tube with a slit collimator are configured
as a C-arm, with the patient’s head positioned between the cassette and
the x-ray tube.
In panoramic radiography, the external cassette moves in conjunction
with the x-ray tube around the patient’s head, which is held stationary
by a headholder attached to the unit.
.
Digital dental imaging systems
Digital dental imaging systems, which allow quick or immediate
viewing of images without using dental x-ray film and associated
developing, consist of an intraoral sensor or imaging plate, an x-ray
system, computer hardware and software for image processing, and a
hard-copy printer.
For image acquisition, an intraoral sensor or intraoral imaging plates
can be used, depending on the model. In systems that use an intraoral
sensor, which is based on charge-coupled device (CCD) technology,
the sensor is placed in the patient’s mouth during image acquisition; the
sensor is electronically connected to the computer system. The CCD
detector converts x-rays directly into electrical signals. These signals
are then sent to a computer system for processing.
Another type of digital dental imaging system uses imaging plates
instead of an intraoral sensor. The thin, wireless imaging plates fit into
the patient’s mouth like conventional intraoral films and cover the same
diagnostic area as films. After the exposure is made, the imaging plate
is inserted into a laser scanner that digitizes the image for manipulation
on the computer screen. The imaging plates are reusable, and
disposable plastic bags (to cover the plates during examinations) are
provided to prevent contamination between patients.
Question and
answers