• reduces chair time,• improves patient comfort,• reduces the number of strokes and pressure necessary to remove calculus deposits,• improves efficiency,• reduces the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders,• avoids burnishing calculus,As it becomes duller, it forces the user to apply more pressure to make the instrument work properly. Over time, the user adapts to the gradual wear, making it habitual to push harder, increasing the chance of burnishing calculus instead of removing it while compromising ergonomics and long-term health.,
The Gleason Guide Sharpening System, a simple 3-step process, takes the guess work, and much of the elbow grease, out of instrument sharpening, which makes it less of a pain to do it more often.,1. Stop: place the back of the instrument’s blade against the stop.,2. Rest: lower the instrument until the terminal shank is resting against the bar.,3. Glide: move the instrument in a gliding motion across the stone using light pressure.,Sharpening instruments should be done based on usage rather than time (ie, daily, weekly). It is easy to check whether an instrument needs sharpening: the visual glare test or using a test surface such as PDT’s PingRing.,The visual glare test involves assessing how light reflects off the junction of the face and the lateral side of the blade. If light reflects at that point, this indicates the instrument needs to be resharpened. If there is no reflection that means it is sharp.,The PingRing can be used to test sharpness by placing the blade at the angle you would against a tooth. Using your fulcrum, apply a normal amount of pressure. If the blade grabs the surface of the PingRing, an audible pinging sound confirms that the edge is sharp. If it slides across the ring, it is time for resharpening.,This is not only convenient, it saves time. Any scaler, curette, or Gracey can be sharpened with the Gleason Guide Sharpening System, but be sure to check whether the manufacturer uses coatings to maintain instrument edges, which would be compromised during the sharpening process and may become unsafe to use., ,For more information on PDT instruments and to watch a series of videos on the best ways to sharpen a variety of instruments, click here.
