One of the most common aerosol producing dental procedure is the use of the ultrasonic by the dental hygienist. Aerosols are particles less than 50 microns and can stay suspended in the air for 30 minutes to 3 hours and travel up to 8 feet!
What does the high evacuation system do for aerosols?
It has been shown that aerosols are reduced by 90% when using a system with at least an 8mm bore opening. This is your standard HVE tip. Nothing fancy, just needs to be 8mm. Extraoral suction devices to reduce splatter and aerosols are available. They probably do the job really well. But... there are also drawbacks. The initial cost of the unit is usually around $3000. Then there are the filters to replace. Kind of like buying a cheap printer, then finding out that the ink costs as much or more than the printer. Something to think about. There is also the valuable real estate it takes up in our usually already too small dental operatories.
Enter- the Dental Flex Arm
Super easy to use. Takes up no floor space. And costs 10 times less than the extraoral dental suction devices on the market. It uses the existing equipment you already have. Nothing extra to buy. No filters needed. Give it a try. You will love it!