Does anyone have experience with Patterson brand handpiece?
For clinical exam, is the fiberoptic one better than the 4 hole stand head Push botton?
Cattooth:
I haven't taken any clinical exams, but here's my advise:
Handpiece choice depends on largely on your personal preference and budget. House brands from Dental Suppliers like Patterson may be a good buy--ask what type of turbines are installed, and if there are aftermarket parts. But for something as important as your clinical exam, it would be wise to spend the extra money on a known brand like Star, Bien Aire, Midwest, etc.
If you insist on the house brand, ask about the bearings too. ABEC7 or higher rated bearings are the best. Ceramic bearings stand up to repeated autoclavings. Non lube bearings last longer and require less maintenance. They also eliminate the possibility of leaving traces of lubricant on your prep, which might affect your restoration.
Push buttons are a blessing. You don't want to be fumbling around for a lost bur changer in your exam. Mini head or standard? It's up to you. If your patient has a small mouth and you'd be using it on posteriors, you might want a small head(and a short shank bur). For general purposes, standard sized heads will do the job.
A lot of people love the convenience of a swivel coupler. If you have to wrestle with the tubing and lugging it over your shoulder as you prep, then you know what I am talking about.
Fiberoptics are great, but be sure the exam site has that system in place, and that it is compatible with your handpiece. UOP for example, supports the Star 430SWL fiberoptic handpiece. So investigate the exam site before buying.
Hope that helped
Ivorinedust
"Apolonia, relieve my toothache!"
