Quality and Safety
by Dr. McBride | Date Published: 2017-02-12 | Download PDF 
In addition to being mercury safe, there are several technical and procedural precautionary measures employed in The Dental Wellness Center that go beyond the usual. One of these is a special turbine air compressor that runs all our working equipment, such as the hand pieces and air/water syringes that spray and dry the teeth. With the advent of adhesive dentistry, such as bonded tooth-colored fillings, veneers, etc, it is especially important that is no trace of moisture or oil in the air from the compressor. Any trace of such will degrade the adhesive capability of the material causing it to eventually come loose, or stain developing between the material and the tooth from lack of adhesion. Years ago, when my “old faithful” piston type air compressor died, I decided to invest in a unique piece of machinery – a turbine type compressor called the T Bolt III.
I had researched all the data I could find on air compressors and found that all piston driven air compressors emit a moisture condensate of oil and water that can even get through dryers placed in the lines. The T Bolt III was developed by Frank Luckman, an ex-pilot who flew P47 Thunderbolts in WW2 and F84 Thunderjets in Korea. He had a machinist background and realized the potential of turbine technology being applied in the field of air compressors. Luckman’s T Bolt III turbine air compressor was more expensive than the highest quality piston-type compressor, but it had exactly what I needed. It filtered out all bacteria and a high range of viruses – and it was moisture and oil free. It was also much quieter than a piston type compressor. I have been using this compressor for over l5 years now and have not had any problems with it. The extra cost of the compressor was a small price to pay for the peace of mind I have in knowing that my treatment efforts are not being sabotaged by unseen moisture, oil or bacterial contamination. This is just one of the many examples of how we can assure our clients that quality & safety remain at the forefront when it comes to the care that is rendered in our office.
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