Below you will find information on:
Sterilization Techniques
Regular Maintenance
Proper Lubrication & How to know when it’s time to send your handpieces in
Maintenance Tips
The best repair is the one you rarely need.
How do I make dental handpieces last longer?
Lubricate after every sterilization cycle, clean the chuck routinely, and let sterilization pouches dry completely before opening them. Trapped moisture and chuck debris cause a large share of the bearing failures we see in our shop. Following these three steps is the most effective way to extend the life of a high-speed handpiece.
Sterilization & Maintenance for Regular Use
Proper sterilization plays an important role in the long-term performance of your handpieces. After each autoclave cycle, make sure the sterilization pouch is completely dry before removing it. Even small amounts of trapped moisture can lead to internal corrosion, causing unnecessary wear on bearings and other components. It's also a good idea to inspect your airline gasket regularly, if your handpiece has one, to ensure it's in good condition and allowing proper airflow.
Another simple way to extend the life of your handpieces is by keeping the chuck clean. The chuck is part of the turbine, and turbine replacements are one of the most common repairs we perform. While normal wear is expected over time, routine cleaning can help maximize the life of your turbine and keep your handpiece performing at its best.
We recommend cleaning the chuck about once a week using Drill Juice. It's the product we trust in our own shop, and we offer it with 10 reusable cleaning brushes for just $22. A single bottle goes a long way, making it an easy and affordable addition to your regular maintenance routine.
1 fl oz bottle with 10 reusable brushes, this little bottle goes a long way!
Proper Lubrication
One of the easiest ways to extend the life of a handpiece is also the one most often skipped. Bearings run at extremely high speed with very little clearance, and without a film of clean lubricant between the moving surfaces they wear quickly. Most of the worn-out turbines that reach our bench were run dry, not run hard.
Lubricate on a consistent schedule rather than when a handpiece starts to sound rough. By the time you can hear the difference, the wear has already happened. Use a lubricant made for dental handpieces, apply it through the correct port for your model, and run the handpiece briefly afterward so it distributes through the bearings rather than pooling.
Not sure which lubricant or adapter fits your handpiece? Call us at (866) 349-3070 and we'll tell you what your model takes.
2 fl oz Syntek Synthetic Lubricant Drops
A simple one step solution to keeping your handpieces running
16 fl oz Synthetic Aerosol Lubricant Spray
A simple one-step solution for lubricating all of your handpieces
Is It Time to Send Your Handpiece In?
There are several signs that it may be time to have your handpiece inspected or repaired. Ask yourself these questions:
* Does it sound gritty when running?
* Does the bur wobble?
* Does the bur stop during use?
* Is the light not working?
* Is there an air or water leak?
Ultimately, you use your handpieces every day—you know when something doesn't feel quite right. If you notice a change in performance, it's always better to have it checked sooner rather than later. We offer free repair estimates, so there's no risk in having us take a look.
Your handpieces are essential to keeping your practice running smoothly, and we're committed to helping you get the most out of your equipment. If you think something may be wrong, send it in—we're happy to inspect it and provide an honest assessment.
Ready to send something in? Our repair form walks you through it and prints your prepaid shipping label. If you'd like to see what repairs cost before you ship, our pricing page lists our rates in full.