News

Dust collection in the dental laboratory is important in so many different ways. And having the proper suction when grinding, trimming or polishing is prime example of why it is so crucial. Not only does it impact the health of the technician but it greatly impacts the health of your handpiece. 

Just one example of why suction is so important can be seen with a C1-Master we recently repaired. Like all Schick micromotors the C1 has integrated sealing mechanisms to keep dust from entering the handpiece. These mechanisms are robust, but when dust collection is not being used it is inevitable that a small amount of dust will penetrate into the housing. Over time this dust will build up, and the abrasive nature will cause deterioration of the components.

Here are some photos to illustrate what we are talking about. You can see the dust, in this case very abrasive zirconia dust, has built up the inside of the handpiece. This causes the bearings, chuck mechanism and motor to wear out at a much faster rate than normal. Resulting in more costly repairs and unwanted downtime.

Our tip? Use proper dust collection at all times. Not only will it allow your handpiece to last longer, it give you a healthier working environment.