Dental compressed air must be oil-free, dry and hygienic. Any moisture present will lead in the medium term to corrosion of the air motors on the treatment unit and will directly jeopardise treatment success. Moisture and oil in the compressed air system promote the growth of harmful germs and reduce the adhesive strength of the cementing of composites and ceramics. Similarly, accurate preparation of an adequate retention pattern is virtually impossible if oil is present.
This is why special compressors for dentistry have been available for nearly 60 years now in which compressed air is generated completely without oil lubrication. In current, state-of-the-art compressors, the pistons slide on a special compound material along the cylinder liners.
This clearly shows that dental compressed air has quite specific requirements. These are defined in section 5.3 of the European standard ISO 22052.
In addition, specifications have long been defined in adjacent, non-dental fields, specifically in the European Pharmacopoeia. Here, a comparison clearly highlights what is the essence of dental compressed air.
For example, the European Pharmacopoeia defines in detail the individual gaseous constituents of medical compressed air, e.g. the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide content. The reason for this is that – in the event of an emergency – it should be possible to use this air to provide artificial respiration for a collapsed patient. Similarly, an atmospheric dew point of -46°C is generally required. However, this is only necessary for storage at high pressure in compressed air cylinders (200 bar, e.g. in compressed air cylinders for scuba divers). However, for compressed air that is produced at the point of use (e.g. by means of a compressor), according to the European Pharmacopoeia a dew point of just -22°C applies, which is almost exactly the value specified in ISO 22052 (-21°C).
In practice, this means that ISO 22052 is the benchmark for compressed air in dentistry. The – in some cases – more stringent requirements set out for medical compressed air offer no actual added value in dental practices. By contrast, classification of the compressor as a class IIa medical device in accordance with Medical Devices Regulation (/745) is an additional plus point for dental applications (e.g. Silver Airline, Dürr Dental, Bietigheim-Bissingen).
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Dental compressed air meets the specific requirements for use in dentistry
For two years now there has finally been a dedicated European standard for compressed air systems in dentistry: ISO 22052. To be on the safe side, dental practices should use compressor systems that comply with these new standards – and this is an important starting point for discussions with professional audiences from the world of dentistry.