Assessing viral retention and elimination in rotary dental instruments
JB Epstein,
G Rea,
L Sibau,
CH Sherlock and
ND Le
British Columbia Cancer Agency in Vancouver, Canada.
The authors of this article used a laboratory model of herpessimplex virus infection to assess the potential for contaminationof dental handpieces by a human viral pathogen. They found thatalthough all the handpieces in the study were fitted with anti-retractionvalves, it was not until the units were flushed internally anddisinfected externally that the pathogens were eliminated.