If you’re looking for a compassionate Lakewood dentist who practices comfortable dentistry, then you’ll love getting to know the dentists at Lakewood Dental Group. Dr. Shaun Sigurdson and Dr. Mihir Patel believe that their patients don’t just deserve exceptional dental care–they deserve gentle dental care, too.
One way that our team makes dental care more comfortable is with electric handpieces. These tools allow our dentists and hygienists to maneuver with ease and precision, which leads to better oral care that doesn’t come at the cost of your comfort.
Electric Handpieces vs. Air-driven Handpieces
Traditionally, dentists used air-driven handpieces to drill, trim, and polish teeth or dental prosthetics. However, more contemporary instruments–like electric handpieces–are quickly becoming the gold standard of dental tools. But, how do electric handpieces differ from air-driven handpieces?
Air-driven handpieces use compressed air to rotate a turbine at extremely high speeds. Electric handpieces, however, use a constant flow of electricity to rotate a turbine. While both tools accomplish the same job, electric handpieces have a distinct advantage over air-driven handpieces.
The Benefits of Electric Handpieces
There are many benefits of using electric handpieces instead of air-driven tools, such as:
- Constant speed
- Consistent torque
- Smooth and precise movements
- Reduced noise
- Constant Speed
The motors in dental handpieces can rotate up to 40,000 times a minute while the attachment heads–or burs–can rotate up to 200,000 times a minute. Air-driven handpieces, however, are often burdened by the load–or density–of material that they are drilling, trimming, or polishing. As a result, the motors and burs of air-driven handpieces can slow down drastically when working with harder materials.
This is problematic because dentists need a handpiece that operates at a constant speed, regardless of the load. Electric handpieces do not slow down when met with harder materials, which means that they will continue to rotate at the same speed whether they are touching the air or something harder, like a tooth. This allows our Lakewood dentists to complete dental procedures better, faster, and with more precision.
Consistent Torque
Just as important as constant speed is consistent torque. Torque relates to the cutting power of a dental handpiece. An air-driven instrument will deliver between 12 and 18 watts of cutting power, but an electric instrument may have up to 55 watts of cutting power. That’s a huge difference!
Not only do electric handpieces deliver more cutting power, but the torque is not subject to change, regardless of a material’s density. Air-driven handpieces display much less torque when met with denser materials.
Smooth and Precise Movements
The consistent speed and torque levels in electric handpieces mean that our team can deliver extremely precise care. So, we can keep treatment localized to one area of a tooth without affecting the healthy areas of the tooth. Air-driven instruments do not offer the same level of control or precision.
Reduced Noise
Air-driven handpieces are responsible for that shrill drill sound associated with dental offices. But, electric handpieces operate at a much lower decibel level, which makes patients feel much more comfortable while in the dentist’s chair.
Schedule an Appointment to Experience Electric Handpieces
If the loud dental drills of the past are keeping you from getting excellent oral care, then it’s time to see how electric handpieces are making dentistry more precise and comfortable. Schedule an appointment at Lakewood Dental Group now by calling our Dallas office at (214) 827-1885 or by sending us a message online.
