When purchasing an ultrasonic bath for your dental practice, there are many variables to consider. How large should it be? At what frequency should you be operating the bath? And which features work best for your practice’s needs? The list of questions can seem endless and overwhelming. So we’ve put together a handy guide to help you make an informed, stress-free decision.
How big are the instruments that require cleaning?
The first thing you will probably be considering when choosing a benchtop ultrasonic cleaner for your dental practice is size. The capacity of your ultrasonic bath will depend upon the number and size of the instruments needing cleaning. It’s essential to ensure that all of your tools can be fully submerged within the liquid in the chamber for proper cleaning. So make sure you find out the working depth of the cleaning fluid. You don’t want to get your ultrasonic cleaner back to the clinic, only to find that while the instruments fit in the chamber, they poke up out of the max fill line. The Sonoswiss 6 litre ultrasonic bath has a deeper tank, perfect for longer instruments that you need to fully submerge for cleaning. The Sonoswiss 12 litre model would work for large practices with many instruments that require cleaning simultaneously.
For smaller instruments, you may need to invest in baskets to keep these parts safe during the cleaning process. Many ultrasonic baths will come with at least one basket as an included accessory, but purchasing other holding accessories may be necessary for smaller and delicate items such as drills and burs. While baskets and beakers will hold small instruments, they also play an essential role in protecting the tank bottom from damage during high vibration.
What level of ultrasonic frequency is needed?
Most machines can clean instruments when operating between 37 and 45 kHz. However, fragile instruments may need a much higher frequency of around 80 kHz. Lower frequencies work best for heavily soiled, sturdy items. Higher frequencies provide a gentler clean, while lower frequencies offer a robust wash. Investing in a machine somewhere in the middle (perhaps 40 kHz) may be a good idea if you have a broad range of instruments that need cleaning. Alternatively, you can look into dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaners.
Features to look out for.
Timers.
An ultrasonic bath with a timer is an invaluable asset. It allows you to set the timer for how long you want the cleaning cycle to operate, and walk away to carry out other tasks. In most cases, the machine will automatically switch off after a complete cycle. Both the Jeken 7 and 10 litre PS-A Series allow the user to set a timer from one to 30 minutes. The LED display on the front of the machine makes it easy to see how long is left on the cleaning cycle.
Degas mode.
If you want to speed up the solution preparation process for your ultrasonic cleaning, a degas mode is beneficial. Remove trapped air from fresh cleaning solution quickly with the degas mode, and rest assured that your instruments will be clean and sanitary. You can also degas by running the machine without any instruments inside, for practices that aren’t as pressed for time.
Variable temperature range.
Some cleaning tasks may require high temperatures to remove debris from instruments. Others, such as removing blood, work better on a cooler cycle. As such, it’s worthwhile investing in an ultrasonic bath that has a variable temperature range so that you can adjust the cycle depending on the cleaning job at hand. The Sonoswiss 12 litre and 6 litre models have a temperature range of 30-80 degrees Celsius, which you can adjust in 5-degree increments.
Sweeping function.
The sweeping function of an ultrasonic bath will provide a subtle variation in ultrasonic frequency, resulting in a much more even clean. It ensures that all instruments are sanitary, no matter where you placed them in the chamber. The sweep function also eliminates the possibility of the cleaning power centring in one area, which can cause damage to the items that you have placed there. Many of the Sonoswiss ultrasonic baths include a sweep function for improved functionality.
Dental Depot stock a range of ultrasonic baths from Jeken and Sonoswiss, in varying capacities. Contact us today to discuss the best model for your practice’s needs.
