The first time I used DuraTip ultrasonic inserts, I was blown out of the water. They check off all the boxes—from ergonomics and time savings to patient satisfaction.
For example, I find that I use a lot less water spray with these tips, which means less contamination for me and my patients. With so much less spray, I don’t have to use high-volume suction. And because I don’t have to stop as much to suction, I save time. With older tips, it probably takes double the time to get a piece of calculus off.
Less Effort, More Reach
They’re also economical because I don’t have to replace them as often as other tips. The bends in the tips are very nice because I can use them throughout the entire mouth; I don’t have to change tips during the procedure. That also helps keep contamination risks low.
Because the tips have that nice bend, I don’t have to strain my back or twist and turn as much to get into difficult areas. The tips are thin and long, and can reach into areas like third molars and behind second molars without poking the patient in the cheek and causing discomfort. They’re thin enough that you can reach interproximally as well.
Then there’s the fact they’re so much less noisy than other ultrasonic scaler tips I’ve tried. I’ve had ringing in my ears because other tips are so loud. That’s not a problem anymore.
Patients Like Them, Too
The patient benefits are many, and they do notice the difference. For example, I don’t have to turn the power up as high as I do with other tips, so patients find the experience more comfortable. When a root surface is exposed, it’s not as sensitive because less power is needed.
The patients also have a better experience because of the shorter procedure and the reduction in both noise and water spray. In general, I’ve found I have a lot more patient acceptance with these tips.
Converting Skeptics
I had a patient in his 70s and wanted to use the tips closer to the anterior lingual because he had some buildup and a lot of recession. I told him I was going to use the ultrasonic scaler, but he didn’t want me to because scalers had hurt his teeth in the past, leaving them aching for days. I told him these tips were different and asked if I could try it on just a few teeth. If he didn’t like it, I’d stop. When I finished, he actually boasted about how well his cleaning went and said his teeth have never felt cleaner. He had me write on the top of his chart to use the ultrasonic scaler every time. Experiences like that just make my heart so happy.
