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.
Contra-angle maintenance
A simple definition of CAD/CAM dentistry is the use of digital software to design and manufacture dental restorations and prostheses. CAD stands for computer-aided design and CAM stands for computer-aided manufacturing. The technology can be used to create crowns, dentures, inlays, onlays, bridges and veneers among other things. The speed of the CAD/CAM process allows for dental prosthetics to be designed, manufactured and delivered to the patient in quick time, sometimes the same day. The wider system of using computer assisted technologies to produce restorations is known as CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Aesthetic Ceramics).
Ergonomics
It is important to consider ergonomics when picking the perfect handpiece. Design features that should be evaluated include weight and grip. The lighter the contra-angle, the more comfortable it should feel in the dentist’s hands. Modern contra-angles are designed to be lightweight and perfectly balanced - ideal for using for extended periods of time without causing strain. Some handpieces, such as the BA250LT and BA200LTS, come with a PVD "smart coating" for enhanced grip.
Gear Ratios
Every contra-angle comes with a gear ratio which indicates what dental procedure the contra-angle can perform. Contra-angles with 1:5 gear ratios are typically recommended for cavity prep, crown prep and sectioning existing prosthetics. 1:1 ratio indications include adjusting ceramics, refining prep and removing caries.
Internal Spray
A good speed increasing handpiece should have sufficient cooling features to reduce the heat produced by the friction between the bur and tooth surface. Excessive heat transfer can result in inflammation and necrosis of the pulp. Most electric contra-angles now have built in coolant ports to spray water at the bur-tooth surface to improve cooling efficiency and minimise pulp injury. For optimal cooling, quadruple (4-port) spray is a feature to keep an eye out for.
Savings
Product quality should always be weighed up against cost to ensure you are getting the most for your money. B.A. International regularly offers free stock deals on its speed-increasing contra-angles and other handpieces to help your practice budget. See all current offers here.
To find out more about what value BA handpieces can offer your practice, see our blog ‘3 Reasons BA Dental Handpieces Offer the Best Value’.
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