NSK,Equipped with multiple mechanisms for increased infection control, NSK handpieces are backed by a 30-year commitment to advanced patient protection,Perhaps the winner of the most significant evolution in modern dental technology can be awarded to the dental drill. It’s a technology that has been advancing for thousands of years—from the days when decayed tissue would be painfully and ineffectively removed with Stone Age flint blades, such as those likely used on a 14,000-year-old Italian man whose skull was recently examined by historians.,Thankfully, for both patients and clinicians, sleek yet powerful air-driven and electric handpieces are now the standard of care when it comes to removing decay and creating a solid foundation for functional and esthetic restorations. But for NSK, there is a higher standard at play—advanced patient protection.,A pioneer of implementing infection control systems in dental handpieces, NSK puts safety at a premium when designing its ever-expanding line of air turbines and contra-angles. The protections incorporated into the company’s handpieces are particularly important to dentistry in the era of COVID-19.,“COVID-19 is affecting dentistry dramatically, especially when it comes to aerosols generated by air turbines, contra-angles, and ultrasonic scalers,” said Eiichi Nakanishi, NSK’s President & CEO. “NSK’s mission is to help dentists overcome this challenge and provide the best solution to reduce aerosols so that they can get back to work.”,NSK has been investing in infection control technology for over 3 decades, starting with the development of an innovative Anti-Retraction Valve in 1987. Integrated into the coupler or electric micromotor, the Anti-Retraction Valve is designed to prevent suck-back of contaminants into the handpiece waterline. A few years after that safety advancement, NSK invented the Clean Head System to prevent oral fluids and contaminants from entering the handpiece head and exhaust line.,
“NSK’s mission is to provide dentists with the best solution to reduce aerosols so that they can get back to work.”
-Eiichi Nakanishi, President and CEO, ,
Together, these 2 infection prevention technologies make up NSK’s Dual Defense System—designed to protect patients and dental teams from the spread of harmful contaminants in the operatory.,While it is reassuring for dentists to know that the handpieces they use on a daily basis have infection control mechanisms built into their design, they may wonder how well they actually work to provide safety. The effectiveness of NSK’s Dual Defense System has been proven by 5 well-known universities, including the University of Washington, Umeå University in Sweden, and the National University of Singapore. In one study, which evaluated 3 handpiece brands for evidence of suck-back into the head, results showed that new NSK handpieces as well as those used in practice for 2 years yielded a turbine space free of contaminants.,Another example of NSK’s commitment to safe practice is a pioneering, 2-way spray function offered in some electric handpieces, such as the Ti-Max Z45L. It offers a quick and easy way to cut without “chip air” in the water line, minimizing the generation of aerosols. A jet spray prevents air from entering soft tissues during surgical procedures, while a mist spray effectively cools the bur while cutting.,For years, Denver, CO, clinician Dr. Eric Van Zytveld would turn off the air spray on his Ti-Max handpieces when treating patients with sensitivity to air, especially during occlusal adjustments or crown polishing. Now, reducing the air spray has an added benefit when it comes to reducing how far the small particles created from spray air can travel. “To reduce aerosols, I have been routinely turning off the air while drilling without a rubber dam,” he said.,Handpieces are just one piece of the overall infection prevention puzzle, but as an integral component of preventive, restorative, and surgical procedures, their impact on safe patient care should not be overlooked.,Travel virtually to NSK headquarters in Kanuma, Tochigi, Japan for an eye-catching experiment in aerosol contamination, and find out what happens when an air-driven high-speed goes head-to-head with an electric high-speed. Watch the video below to quickly see why electric high-speed handpieces, such as those in NSK’s Ti-Max Z product line, can be a better option for reducing aerosols than air-driven high-speeds.,,
,All NSK handpieces, including the nano series of contra-angles (pictured above) feature an innovative Clean Head System and Anti-Retraction Valve that work together to provide Dual Defense infection prevention., ,Built into every NSK handpiece, the patented Clean Head System prevents the entry of oral fluids and contaminants into the handpiece head.,Integrated inside the electric micromotor, the Anti-Retraction Valve prevents contaminated fluids from entering the handpiece waterline.,
, ,Click here to learn more about NSK’s 30-year investment in infection prevention technology and advanced patient protection.
