Quite apart from keeping us, our teams and our patients alive, air is also crucial to the complex functioning of the practice or the laboratory. But it is not just any old air that will do, it must be both hygienic and economic; hygienic in that it must be free of micro-organisms and of no danger to patients or staff and economic in that it must be available on demand as and when it is needed.
The piece of equipment that provides this stream of necessary life force is an apparently unglamorous item, often shut away in a cupboard or other out of the way location to chug away regardless; it is the trusty compressor. Un-thought of it may be but it is as fundamental to the viability and success of the practice as our lungs are to our own continuing existence.
The air that we use has to be oil-free since this is central to the longevity and smooth running of dental equipment. The internal apparatus of dental units such as nozzles, bearings and membranes can be harmed by lubricating oil in an oil-based compressor by damage caused due to blockage, leading to sub-optimal operation and breakdown.
In the event that such oil escapes into air lines it oxidises before causing a deposit which then hardens into a resin causing a gradual but inevitable build-up. As with all such incremental build-ups there may be no apparent effect in the early stages. However, in the long-term this progressively, significantly, reduces the effectiveness of the compressor and shortens its useful life. This has capital cost implications for the need to replace the compressor and also has on-going financial consequences
as the quality of work is detrimentally affected, reducing efficiency. Air control systems, air syringes, air turbines, as well as air blowers and air milling cutters are among the various systems and adjunctive equipment involved in this downward spiralling process of damage and contamination with oil.
In addition to the considerations of dental equipment, clinically, oil-free air is critical to both the initial success and the long-term durability of many types of restorative treatment, especially the adhesion of composites and dental adhesives.
Drying and filtering
By contrast, Teflon-coated pistons which operate without the need for oiled lubrication, as pioneered and manufactured by Dürr, completely avoid such problems by being integral to their oil-free compressors.
A good compressor will prevent moist, warm air from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria which, with today’s need for increasingly high standards in cross infection control, is of even greater significance. To permit this peak efficiency, compressed air must therefore be dried and filtered before use. Not only must the air used for treating patients be hygienic so that pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungal spores are denied the opportunity to propagate within the compressor, air that has been properly filtered will also have a neutral taste thereby assuring patient acceptability.
This level of quality is achieved by using a system which heats the air drawn in by compression before cooling it by use of a cooling coil. If there is any moisture present it is safely ducted away from the dry air filter using hygroscopic beads. These remove any residual dampness before the intake filter and fine dry air filter ensure an output of hygienic excellence. The technology used in Dürr dryers (membrane dryers) makes them almost maintenance free and 100 per cent rated. Other compressors with dryers are 50 or 60 per cent rated. Additionally, the tanks on Dürr compressors are lined with an anti-bacterial coating making the air even more hygienic.
Choosing the correct compressor is an important decision in determining the success of a practice. Too little power hampers work while producing too much is uneconomic. Crucially, breakdown causing a disruption or absence of supply is the worst sort of financial news since most treatment relies on a steady stream being available all the time.
Dürr’s engineering quality and heritage means that their range of compressors can provide systems from compact, economic entry-level units through to compressed air systems for large practices, laboratories and dental hospitals. Dürr compressors need only a once a year filter change, a testament to their unfailing reliability.