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Laurence Bohan
Content Writer
Laurence Bohan
Content Writer

Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.

Tooth polishing remains one of the most widely used techniques by dentists to remove surface stains on teeth and leave them shiny and smooth.

But polishing is more complex than “simply polishing areas of stain”, it involves the careful selection of polishing materials and techniques to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

Solventum, one of world’s leading suppliers in polishing discs, recommends doing the following to ensure your patients leave your practice with a bright, confidence-boosting smile every time.

Preparation of Surface

Use the Sof-Lex Diamond Polishing System after the gross reduction and final contouring steps have been completed. Solventum recommends that surfaces should be refined with a fine abrasive disc, such as Sof-Lex Contouring and Polishing Discs, carbide or fine diamond burs, before using this system.

The Sof-Lex Pre-Polishing Spiral (beige) prepares the restoration for final gloss, while the Sof-Lex Diamond Polishing Spiral (pink) gives your restorations that gorgeous paste-like gloss. The flexible nature of these spirals will not remove or polish away anatomy that has been placed in a surface.

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Speed

Spirals should be used with a slow-speed handpiece with a speed of 15,000–20,000 RPM. The recommended RPM range has been tested to optimise polishing results and provide paste-like gloss without the need for intraoral diamond paste. 

This RPM range is typically the maximum speed when using a slow-speed handpiece. For reference, traditional rubber-based points, cups or wheel finishing and polishing systems are typically used at a speed below 10,000 RPM.

Pressure

Abrasive particles are embedded throughout the spiral so they can be used from any angle. It is recommended to use medium to moderate pressure when polishing a surface. 

The centre hub should not touch the surface you are polishing. Heavy pressure or contacting the hub when polishing could reduce the number of times a spiral can be used or dislodge it from the mandrel.

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Wet Surface

For best results, Solventum recommends adding water when using this system. Adding water to the surface can create a higher gloss in less time.
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Multiuse

The Sof-Lex Diamond Polishing System is designed to be multi-use. However, the number of uses will vary depending on usage and technique (such as speed and pressure). Once the bristles become notched (A) or missing (B), the spiral needs to be replaced.

Reprocessing instructions must be followed to clean and disinfect the spirals between patients.

Disposal

Inspect each spiral carefully before use and discard if any bristles are notched (A) or missing (B). Properly dispose of used spirals in accordance with your healthcare facility’s policy.

Mandrel

The Sof-Lex Diamond Polishing System is designed to be used only with the Sof-Lex Mandrels. Some resistance should be felt when placing a spiral on a mandrel. Refer to Instructions for Use for complete product information.

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