Sterilization of Ceramic Sharpening Stones
Journal (Canadian Dental Association)
|March 8, 2018
Summary
Sharpening periodontal instruments with ceramic stones is safe. These stones can be effectively sterilized using standard protocols, posing minimal risk to dental providers during patient care.
Area of Science:
- Dental hygiene
- Infectious disease control
Background:
- Periodontal hand instruments require frequent sharpening due to dulling from contact with tooth surfaces.
- Concerns exist regarding the sterilization of sharpening stones and potential provider health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sterilizability of contaminated ceramic sharpening stones.
- To assess the safety of chair-side periodontal instrument sharpening.
Main Methods:
- Bacteria culture techniques were employed to test stone sterility.
- Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the stones.
- Sterilization followed the manufacturer's recommended protocol.
Main Results:
- Ceramic sharpening stones were found to be sterile after undergoing the standard sterilization protocol.
- No reported incidents related to instrument sharpening occurred among nearly 400 dental students over one year.
Conclusions:
- Ceramic sharpening stones can be safely sterilized using conventional office sterilization procedures.
- Chair-side sharpening of periodontal instruments presents minimal additional risk when proper protocols are followed.
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