Hughes Dental Handpiece Repair, has recently outlined several factors that could result in the complication of bearing failure on the air-turbine used dental handpieces that are commonly used in dental practices across the nation. Air-turbine dental handpieces have been used for the majority of all cutting procedures in excess of five decades. The very first air-turbine unit was utilized in 1957 when the “Borden Air Rotor” was invented. While many new features have been added throughout the years – such as a bur release that is push-button, a swivel-based coupling, and the integration of fiber-optic based illumination – the main component of the handpiece remains the same; a turbine-based rotor that is supported by mini ball bearings. In order to effectively use your used dental handpieces in your facility, you must ensure that they are in full operation at all times. By knowing the factors that could result in bearing failure, you can avoid any unnecessary complications with your used dental handpieces.
Technical Details
In order to outline our findings, we must outline a few technical-based details. These details will assist you in understanding the most common reasons why bearings fail on the used dental handpieces that are used in your practice. The ball bearings that support the turbine rotor typically have two individual rings – an outside ring and an inside ring. These rings assist in enclosing the mechanic-based balls. The balls are set up with a channel in between them that allows the contact stress between all of the components to be reduced. The channel also assists in preventing axial-based movements of the balls. The inside ring is fitted against the spindle and is designed to rotate with the rotor. The outside ring is fixed within the dental handpiece with a highly-resilient rubber-based O-ring.
Factors That Present Complications
Now that you have a basic understanding of the inner components of the used dental handpieces that are used in your practice, it is time to bring all of the information together and present the factors that present complications. When movement starts to occur between the rings of the bearings, the balls roll within the channels of the unit. These are also referred to as “raceways”. The balls are, in essence, separated by a part called a “cage”. Additionally, there is an internal shield in the region of the bearings that assists in retaining lubrication and preventing contaminants from entering into the used dental handpieces. Bearing failure initiates when damage occurs with the rings, the balls, and/or the cage section. It is further enhanced by issues such as corrosion, mechanical-based wear, overloading, autoclaving time, lubrication complications, and similar issues. If you are experiencing issues with your used dental handpieces, Hughes Dental Repair and Sales, can assist you! Simply call 800-773-0800 today!
