How to Pick the Perfect Dental Air Compressor

It's difficult to earn a patient's trust. After years of investing in your practice, education, and staff, losing patients to outdated or failing equipment is simply too high a price to pay. 

Time is money, and it is well known that people often have a fear of the dentist. There is little reason to subject a dental team and their patients to prolonged procedures while waiting for an air compressor to fill back up. 

When looking to upgrade or replace a dental compressor, dentists demand clean, quiet, and reliable air. This article highlights the key features to look for in a dental air compressor for your practice. 

Air Quality 

The single most important attribute of any dental air compressor is the purity of the air passing from equipment to tool and, eventually, into the patient's mouth. Dirty, moist air picked up from even the most seemingly sterile environment can breed dangerous microorganisms, bacteria, and pathogens. 

Moisture and contamination can also negatively interact with compounds used in restorations and lead to premature breakdown. This results in increased repair work that will—much like dental cavities—rot away profits if left untreated. 

Investing in a quality compressor with the proper dryers and filters will not only help keep patients safe but will protect a practice from causing illnesses and damage to costly equipment. 

Pneumatic Dental Tools 

Pristine air isn't just safer for your patients but keeps sanitized tools working as they should and for longer. 

Medical supplies are very costly, and dental tools are no exception. Air-driven tools, although less expensive than electronic types, also tend to be delicate. Their internal impellers, couplings, and bearings are susceptible to corrosion and contamination that can take them out of circulation, resulting in lost profits and the ability to grow a practice. 

Commonly used tools and handpieces that are most in jeopardy of damage from dirty, wet air include: 

• Drills 
• Scalers 
• 3/1 syringes 
• Delivery units 
• Chair valves 

It can be downright frustrating for a practitioner to be stuck using a worn or low-quality air compressor that produces both dirty air and lower pressure than needed. Tools won't work as they should, and replacement frequency increases. Just like great artists, the tools a dentist uses are an extension of themselves. Their work must represent their true skills. 

Safety Considerations 

To ensure a compressor conforms to applicable health codes, a basic understanding of air quality classes—as set by governing bodies such as The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)—is required. 

The ISO standards below give air quality ratings of the discharges from air compressors for solid particles, water, and oil. To entirely "belong" to a class, all requirements must be met (solids, oil and vapor, and water). 

Air Quality Standards 

How pure is the air in a given practice? 

The best way to know what level of contaminants are allowed for a specific application is to discuss the air quality industry standards listed below with an installer. Lower class ratings indicate purer, stricter measurements of air quality. 

Lower class ratings indicate purer, stricter measurements of air quality. 

• Class 0: Purest air quality, manufacturer specifies limits, ideal for sensitive applications 
• Class 1: Low particulate, oil, and water vapor limits 
• Class 2: Moderate particulate, oil, and water vapor limits 
• Class 3: Higher particulate, oil, and water vapor limits 
• Class 4: Untreated compressed air 

Particulate matter in the form of dust (solids) is measured in microns (µm) per cubic meter, while aerosols and chemicals suspended in the air (oil & vapor) are measured in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3). 

For size comparison, a human red blood cell is about 5 microns wide, while infectious viruses range from 0.004 to 0.1 microns in thickness. That means a Class 1 compressor wouldn't allow any particles the size of a red blood cell. 

The tolerable dryness for each class of air, or how much water is suspended in the compressed air, is calculated by the temperature it would take to transform water vapor into liquid water (dew point). 

Any compressed system that requires air or oil filters to achieve a particular quality class is susceptible to failure and needs constant maintenance to avoid liability risks. 

Class 0 Compressed Air 

Class Zero air quality is the cleanest, most pure of all of the class ratings. Contaminants are rated by the manufacturer and set by the application. 

A rating of 0, which can be achieved with a scroll air compressor, is an ideal choice among dental professionals and dental labs because they offer the strictest standards and are oil-free by design. 

Class 1 Compressed Air 

Air compressors capable of producing Class 1 air may also make an acceptable dental compressor; however, practitioners should look for "Oil-Free" designs. Caution is advised with compressors that use oil-lubricated pumps and an internal filter to remove the oil. 

It is important to always consult state and local codes with an installer who is certified for dental practices. Such experts understand the specific rules that may apply to a business based on its size, location, and the services offered. 

Oil vs. Oil-Free 

Often, dentists shopping for a new compressor face a dilemma: which is better, an oiled or oil-less compressor? 

On the one hand, oil-lubricated air compressors were once believed to be quieter and to last longer than oil-free models, making them seem like a top choice for a dental office; however, that isn’t the case today. 

Modern oil-less models outperform their oiled counterparts. For dentists who don’t want the hassle and worry that comes with consistently checking and changing filters, an oil-less design is a better choice. 

One of the main reasons why a dentist will choose an oil-free compressor is that it poses a lower risk of contaminating the air with lubricant. Instead of injecting oil into the pump, scroll compressors are oil-free by design, while piston compressors use a special friction-reducing coating, like Teflon®, to produce clean air without sacrificing performance. 

Oil-free units are also lightweight, allowing them to be placed in a wider range of areas while still creating as much airflow and pressure as many oil-lubricated models. 

Size Considerations 

Horsepower 

Just like a car, air compressors each have a motor that produces a certain amount of power. Instead of moving a vehicle, the compressor's motor overcomes friction and the resistance of condensing the air in the pump. The more horsepower, the faster and more air it can compress. 

A small dental office with one or two seats can get by with a 2HP machine, while larger offices or labs will require at least a 5HP machine. 

PSI Rating 

Precision is essential in dentistry, but for tools to be precise, they need to create enough speed and torque. 

The right amount of pressure makes it possible. Commonly, these pressure requirements are listed in BAR. Many dental handpieces will post a 5 BAR (72.5 PSI) requirement. 1 BAR is roughly equivalent to 14.5 PSI. 

To account for pressure drops, multiple stations, and long piping runs, it is advisable to go higher. Air with too low pressure can ruin tools, disrupt procedures, and possibly compromise a patient’s experience and a practitioner's reputation. 

Capacity 

Air capacity, similar to lungs, refers to how much air volume a compressor can produce and hold at a given time, which is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). Also referred to as a duty cycle, the capacity of a compressor's tank will determine how often the pump needs to turn on to fill it back up. 

Just like air pressure, a practice will want a compressor that produces more volume than the combined minimum requirement of the tools. 

Handpieces may assume a 25% duty cycle, but if they are used more often, or if the team is performing complex surgeries, the CFM requirement should be increased. It is also necessary to add up how many chairs are in the office and multiply that number by the maximum CFM rating required. A practice with more than four chairs and dental labs should have at least a 60-gallon air tank. 

Building a Trusted Dental Practice 

It is well known how hard it can be to grow a business by earning trust, one patient at a time. Even a seemingly innocuous dental device like an air compressor can be a reason for a patient to look for a new dentist; practitioners should not let that happen. 

To get the most out of an investment, a practice should always insist on a reputable, trusted brand of dental air compressors along with a certified installer who understands their unique needs. 

Installation 

As with most practices, space is at a premium and compressors can sometimes be relegated to storage or mechanical rooms where the possibility of contamination increases. 

Practitioners should speak with an installer to make sure this does not happen. It is also important to ensure the compressor isn't right next to a vacuum pump, as the exhaust can be a source of contamination. 

Compressors need a consistent supply of unpolluted air, so installation must be in a space that's properly ventilated. 

Buy With Confidence 

When it comes to building a reputable practice, a dentist needs to rely on their tools to get the job done right. Patients count on them to deliver results, and the last thing a professional wants is to worry about mechanical issues. 

For help selecting the right air compressors to fit the needs of a practice, please contact us. Our team of compressor experts is here to help. We work with our manufacturers to bring the widest selection of reputable brands and services. 

This article is for informational purposes only. Not for medical use; must be installed by a certified professional installer. Not responsible for inaccuracies.