Allan Deutsch
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 HERE
IS A PROBLEM looming on the horizon. That problem is, “How will we
sterilize our endodontic reamers and files?” You may
answer, “That’s no problem. I’ll use my bead sterilizer.” (See
Figures 1 and 2.) Herein lies the problem. Thanks to the local
manicure salon, the FDA has stopped the sale of new bead sterilizers by
the manufacturers. These nail salons were and are using bead sterilizers
to sterilize large hand instruments. These instruments include nail
scissors and cuticle cutters. Unfortunately, the beads did not do
a great job on those instruments, and many customers had their nail beds
infected by bacteria or fungus. Certainly, this was and is a problem.
The FDA received enough complaints to warrant an investigation. They
determined that if a manufacturer wanted to make and sell bead sterilizers
they would now have to file for a PMA (Pre-Market Approval) with the FDA.
This requires rather large sums of money for testing. Many manufacturers
logically decided that the expense was not worth it for a $100 device.
Therefore, the manufacturers of bead sterilizers are no longer making these
sterilizers for dental or nail use.
So, what can you do? The problem isn’t a crisis
yet. We still have a few years’ supply of bead sterilizers left.
If you are worried, try to stock up on as many old units as you can. However,
good luck, because there do not seem to be many around. And when
our sterilizers burn out, what are our options?
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We could pre-package setups of sizes 08 through 25/08 SafeSiders, in foam
sponges in sterilizer bags. Along with the assorted sizes, we would
need separate bags of perhaps three or four of one size of the smaller-sized
instruments, in case they bend or become distorted.
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We could use covered metal sterilizer organizers. These are filled
with assorted instruments, the cover is closed, and then the organizer
is bagged. When the bag is opened after sterilization, the box and
its contents are sterile. When you remove the cover and turn it over,
it can be used as a sterile tray when placed on the bracket table.
I used this type of setup when I first started to practice. It takes
some getting used to.
The problem here is that unused instruments are exposed to repeated sterilization
cycles. This tends to heat-harden the instruments and in many cases
may make them more brittle. It seems to me that we will be going
through a lot more instruments per case.
All in all this is a problem that will not go away
and is getting worse. What will the manufacturers come up with to help
us out?
If you have any ideas, please contribute them to
our Endo-Mail Forum.
November-December 2001
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FIGURE 1: One type of bead
sterilizer.
FIGURE 2: Another type of
bead sterilizer.
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