QN;

EXPLAIN ABOUT DENTAL COMPRESSOR AND DENTAL STERILIZATION BASED ON

THE FOLLOWING ;
I. Introduction.
II. Types.
III. Working principle of the machine.
IV. Common problems of the machine.
V. Troubleshooting techniques of the machine.
DENTAL COMPRESSOR;

• Introduction;
A dental compressor is a mechanical device that increases the air
pressure of an essential gas by reducing its mass. In simple words, it is
used to increase the pressure of air by decreasing its volume.
The most common use of dental compressor is during the filling of
teeth and maintainance of oral cavities.
TYPES OF DENTAL COMPRESSOR.
• There are two main types of dental compressor;
I. Oil –free compressors
II. Oil- lubricated compressors
OIL- FREE COMPRESSORS
• These compressors use a dry or oil-free piston to compress air to be
used for dental procedures. They are preferred by dentists because
they do not produce oil mist or generate heat that could damage or
contaminate dental instruments.
• These compressors come with no oil filter which means they do not
use oil to filter air as a result, they have minimal negative effect on
the environment
OIL-LUBRICATED COMPRESSOR
• These compressor use oil to lubricate the piston and create a seal that
helps to compress air. They are less common in the dental industry
but are still used in some settings. The oil must be changed regularly
to prevent contamination of compressed air.
• This type of compressor comes with an oil filter which helps to
produce cleaner air that is free from most impurities. However, in the
process of cleaning the air, the oil can pollute the environment .
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF DENTAL
COMPRESSOR.
• Through different complex mechanisms, the compressor force a large
amount of air into storage tank. As it compresses more air,the
pressure builds more inside;
• Air compressors work by forcing atmospheric air under pressure to
creat potential energy that can be stored in a tank for later use.
First , the the air is brought into the dental air compressor. Second,
the filtration process lower the dew point and removes the impurities,
leaving the dentist with clean dry air. Lastly this dry air is compressed,
stored and kept ready for future use.
COMMON PROBLEMS OF THE
MACHINE.
• Compressor will not operate
• Excessive noise in operation
• Knock-same circle as R.P.M
• Milky in oil resserviour
• Excessive oil consumption
• Insufficient pressure at point of use
TROUBLE SHOOTING
COMMON PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION

1. Compressor will not operate
-No electric power -Turn on power .Push the reset
button
-Low oil level -check oil level. Replace your oil if
necessary.
-pressure in the tank is below the -see pressure switch adjustment.
cut-in pressure Replace pressure switch to one that
has a lower cut-in PSI.
COMMON
2.Excessive noise in operation
CAUSE
-Loss pulley ,fly wheel, belt, guard,
cooler, clamps, or accessories.
-Lack of oil in crank case
-Piston hitting the valve plate
-defective crankcase gasket
SOLUTION
-Tighten any loss ends
-check for possible damage to
bearings, replenish the oil level.
-remove the compressor cylinder
head and inspect for foreign matter
on top of the piston.
Add a new gasket gasket and
reassembles the head.
-repair or replace.
PROBLEMS
3.Knock same circle as R.P.M
4.Milkyoil in oil reserviour.
CAUSE SOLUTION
-main bearings -replace the bearings.
-connecting rod bearings. -replace rod.
-loss flywheel. -tighten
-Water entering oil reserviour due to -pipe air intake to less humid air
compressor operating in high source
humidity environment. -service unit (change oil, clean or
replace air cleaner element more
often at least every 45 days or 500
operating hours for oil changes)
-drain tank daily.
PROBLEM
4.Excessive oil consumption.
CAUSE
-Restricted air intake.
-oil leaks.
-worn piston rings.
-wrong oil viscoucity.
-compressor tilted too much
SOLUTION
-clean or replace air filter
-tighten bolts or replace gasket.
-replace rings.
-drain oil, refill with oil of proper
viscoucity.
-Level the compressor, vibration
parts may help with this.
PROBLEM CAUSE
6.Insufficient pressure at point of -Leaks or restriction.
use.
-Restricted air intake.
-Slipping belts.
-service hoes too small
-Excessive air requirement.
SOLUTION
-check for leaks or restriction in hoes
or piping. Repair
-clean and replace air filter elements.
-tighten belts.
-Replace with larger hoes.
-limit air usage to compressor
capacity by using fewer or smaller
tools.
CONCLUSION ON DENTAL
COMPRESSOR
RECOMMENDATION;
Most of dental equipment needs 1-5 Hp, However your compressor will
need to be larger to power more tools. Also portable dental equipment
usually takes 5 bars of pressures. Insufficient pressure can harm the
equipment and patient.
DENTAL STERILIZATION UNIT
INTRODUCTION:
Sterilization in dentistry s a critical procedure in the processing of
reusable dental equipment after its use.Sterilization kills ,deactivates
and eliminates all forms of life and other biological agents.
Also referred to as autovlaves,dental sterilizers use steam at
temperatures reaching 270◦F to completely sterilize instruments and
equipment.
TYPES OF DENTAL STERILIZATION
UNIT
There are three main types of sterilizations which are
I. Steam sterilization(autoclave)
II. Dry heat sterilization
III. Unsaturated chemical vapors sterilization
Steam sterilization
• Its also called autoclave method.Autoclaves are used to sterilize
surgical instruments,laboratory glassware ,and other materials that
can withstand high temperatures and pressure.They use steam to kill
microorganism and are commonly used in hospitals and laboratories.
Dry heat sterilization
• Is a process of sterilizing items by using hot dry air that has been heated
to high temperature.They are used for materials that cannot be sterilized
by steam,such as powders,oils,and certain types of metal instruments.
How it works?
Dry heat sterilizers works by convection to circulate hot air throughout the
sterilization chamber.The air is heated by heating elements or a flame ,and
the temperature is regulated using a thermostat or other temperature
control system.
The sterilization chamber is sealed to prevent the entry of outside air,and
the item to be sterilized are placed inside the chamber.
How it looks
Unsaturated chemical vapour sterilization
• This is suitable method for orthodontic instruments .chemical vapour
Sterilizers use Formalddehyde,alcohols,and water.
How?
The clean ,dry ,unwrapped instruments are set on a tray in the chamber
and units is set at 270◦F at 20-40 psi for 20 minutes.
This proprietary process uses a chemical solution,instead of distilled
water ,that rapidly kills microorganisms.
This method causes less corrosion of carbon steel instruments(eg.dental
burs) than steam sterilization because less water is present during the
cycle.
steam sterilizers
How it works?
autoclaving involves exposing an object to high temperature at a
high –pressure steam to kill any microrganism presents
 The object to be sterilized is placed inside the autoclaves,which is
sealed with hot chamber.
The autoclave is then filled with water,and air is removed from the
chamber to create the vaccum.Then water is heated to produce a
steam,and the pressure inside the autoclave is increased btn 15 and
30psi to archieve the temperature of 121-134 degrees celcius.
cont.….
• The high pressure steam penetrates the object ,by killing any
microorganisms present by denaturing their proteins and breaking
down their cell walls
• After the sterilization cycle is complete, the autoclave is allowed to
cool down and the object can be removed.
Common problems of sterilization unit
• Like any complex system sterilization unit can experience a range of
problems that can compromise their effectiveness. Here are some
common problems of sterilization unit.
1. Incorrect cycles times
2.Improper loading
3.Contamination
4.Improper maintenance
5.Sensor failure
6.Electrical or mechanical failures
TROUBLE SHOOTING OF THE STERILIZERS MACHINE
PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION

Incorrect cycles times Unnecessary wear and tear on the Check the operating manual to
equipment ensure the correct cycle time has
been selected. If its too short or too
long calibrate it.

Improper loading This can be due to overloading of the Verify that the sterilization unit is
machine loaded correctly
Also can be due to under loading of Adjust the loading configuration
the machine
PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION

Contamination -Improper sterilization procedure -Do decontamination process

-Improper cleaning of the device -After each use ensure that the
after use device is clean and place it in well
protected area.

Sensor failure -Overheating -Proper calibration and

-Wear and tear of the sensors maintenance can help to prevent
-Chemical exposure damage and ensure accurate
-Improper handling readings during sterilization
process.
PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION

Poor maintenance -Inadequate sterilization -Do routine maintenance as guided

-neglecting routine maintenance by user operating manual
-ensure that a device is safe
protected after each use

Electrical or mechanical failures -Wear and tear of mechanical parts -Repair the weared parts of the
of the machine machines
-Power surges -unplug the unit to inspect for any
any visible demage of electrical
system
conclusion
When selecting a sterilization unit, its important to consider factors such as
sterilization effectiveness, ease of use,durability,size and capacity, maintenance
and servicing and other regulatory compliance.
Also to seek feedback and recommendations from colleagues ,dental supply
vendors and other industry experts is more helpful.