Tools of the Trade Review: Cattani Dry Suction System

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by Dr Robert Harper, Richmond Fine Dentistry, Richmond, VIC

When I set up my practice six years ago, it was an ideal opportunity to future-proof in terms of ultimate hygiene. In other practices I’d noticed that wherever there is a dental lathe or a laboratory handpiece for grinding dental appliances, the dust goes everywhere. In order to remove all that dust and all the pollutants from the immediate environment, I had Cattani design this system and fit it.

What’s good about it

I have a number of extraction points throughout the practice. These are placed in various walls so the cleaners can just plug in and start vacuuming. The noise level is kept down because the motor is off-site.

Another extraction point is in the floor of the laboratory. A small hatch can be kicked open in the skirting board, which turns the suction on, and any dust can be swept into it.

There are three other extraction points in the laboratory. The first is on the bench where I grind dentures and other acrylic products. I have another one connected to a dust cabinet that removes the dust as I work. If I’m mixing acrylic or any other highly toxic product, I’ll turn the system on and the fumes are extracted away from the work area. Finally, there’s another connection behind my dental lathe where I polish dentures.

We use a lot of nasty chemicals in dentistry and no-one really knows what the result of long-term exposure to all those chemicals might be. This system provides a safe and healthy work environment for the staff and for patients.

What’s not so good

Like any vacuum system, someone has to empty the vacuum cleaner bag so you need a regular maintenance schedule to keep the system working efficiently.

It would be more or less impossible to retrofit a system like this unless the surgery was built in a house on stumps. It is something that new surgeries should consider.

Where did you get it

Cattani

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