bur brush

I have been constantly asking my practice manager for a bur brush for my surgery. I am aware we are not allowed to use them to clean our instruments, only burs. I have been told we are not allowed them at all....in that case how am I mean to be cleaning my burs?! I am using my round steel burs as single use as they get rusty anyway, but my diamond burs are not getting cleaned....I've been told to scrub them with my long handled scrubbing brush but obviously this is not cleaning them well enough at all....what does everyone else do??

Hi,
"It is important to avoid damage to the passivation
layer during cleaning. Accordingly, methods such
as the use of wire brushes, which may give rise to
surface abrasion, should be avoided".
HTM 01-05

Hi there

We don't use bur brushes all our burs are single use so we discard everything apart from mandrels which we bag and send to Our central sterilising department. With regards to cleaning cement for me I have all instruments on my side and work 4 handed so cement it removed when wet if it's clamps which will stay in place for longer I use a wet swab and remove that way we aren't allowed to send anything away that still has cement on it, if it does happen the dentist will ask for a whole new kit and will consider it contaminated so we can't risk that really. (it's not worth the hassle!) I know single use might not very practical for a practice in our hospital we've to use as much single use as possible.
I hope this is at all helpful

we also have wire bur brushes, are we not ment to?

I use the same have a wipe too hand and then it's not a problem.

I use wipes on spatulas and instruments, really easy to remove cement if it has just been used and not too much effort if it has dried although I have bullied the dentist I work with to give me any instruments so they can be easily wiped.

We use alcohol free wipes and before we changed to them the alcohol wipes worked just as well!

we have a central sterilisation room where the bur brushes are used. but only if necessary on the instruments.

I think it is quite clear:
"It is important to avoid damage to the passivation
layer during cleaning. Accordingly, methods such
as the use of wire brushes, which may give rise to
surface abrasion, should be avoided".
HTM 01-05
And as Wiremanager says: PCT don't want us to use wire/bur brushes.
I also wonder if not another instrument would possibly also damage, if used for scratching of for example cement.
We can't see this until the damage is done so best is to prevent it.

MLA

do you still use them in surgery or just in the decon room ?

You could always use another instrument to get the dried cement off or if the dentist hands you the instrument he has used with the cement on wipe it off before it sets. I have always used bur brushes in the cleaning of instruments especially on amalgam condensors as they are grooved and the amalgam gets stuck in the grooves. Ive never yet come across any instruments that have been damaged by bur brushes.

Hi,

Yes, I know, cement is just... cemented...
We use an ultrasonic cleaner which is very good. It vibrates off most stuff. Other than that it is the 'brush until it's gone' technique or 'brush until you go mad' as I would like to call it.
(with a conventional brush that is, not the bur brush)

MLA
"Supporter of the anti-bingo wings brushing technique"

thanks for your answers !

how do you get off dried on cement my washer does not remove it !

During our last PCT inspection we were told off because of the brushes in the decontamination room..twice...

Hi,

You aren't allowed to use a wire bur brush to clean instruments but you can use it to clean burs.

The reason you can't use it on instruments is because it can cause pitting and grooves in the metal which mean it can harbor bacteria.

Hope this clarifies for you. We keep a bur brush in the decon room

All the best!

Hello,
No, bur brushes is not the thing to use any more any where!Not even the decontamination room.

MLA

hello

can you help please? are we still allowed to use bur brushes in the surgery ? i have tried reading htm but can not find a answer, or are they only allowed in decon room ?

thanks