Decontamination procedures for tungsten carbide debonding burs: a cross‐sectional survey of hospital‐based orthodontic departments

Abstract

Objective: To determine the current pattern of use and handling of tungsten carbide debonding burs (TCDBs) within UK hospital‐based orthodontic departments.

Design: Cross‐sectional survey.

Subjects and methods: Questionnaires were sent to 217 departments within the UK and an overall response rate of 93% was achieved.

Results: Most hospital departments (68%) currently use TCDBs designed for a slow handpiece. Just over half (55%) discard their TCDBs after single‐use, but only 24% adequately decontaminate new burs prior to initial use. Almost all those that reuse TCDBs decontaminate them in a sterilizer and carry out combinatorial presterilization cleaning. The most common methods are manual cleaning followed by an ultrasonic bath (26%) or washer‐disinfector (15%); or alternatively, soaking of burs followed by manual cleaning (13%). For those departments that use only a single method, manual cleaning (29%) or a washer‐disinfector (10%) are most common. In terms of sterilizing TCDBs, 58% used a vacuum phase autoclave and 13% a downward displacement.

Conclusions: There is wide variation in the handling of TCDBs in UK hospital‐based orthodontic departments. Decontamination of new TCDBs prior to initial use is carried out by less than a third of departments. Despite their classification as reusable devices, just over half discard TCDBs after single use. However, among those that do reuse TCDBs, almost all decontaminate them correctly.

Keywords:

• Decontamination
• tungsten carbide debonding burs
• hospital orthodontics