Single-Use Items
- Bobbi-Lee Keermaa
- Jan 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Manufacturers determine when dental equipment/devices are considered single-use. The RCDSO states, "Single-use (i.e. disposable) devices are designed to be used on one patient and then discarded, and not to be reprocessed and used on another patient." An essential part of a dental office's IPAC program is that dental staff members are trained to recognize the symbol for single-use items. The symbol with the number two with a strike through it means that this item is designated single-use and can only be used once and then disposed of according to the (MIFU) Manufacturer's Instructions For Use.
There are many single-use items that staff would consider obvious not to re-use, such as cotton rolls, gloves, saliva ejectors, plastic air/water syringe tips, and dental bibs.
However, some dental offices fail to recognize the single-use symbol on other items such as rotary files, etch tips, tofflemire matrix bands, polishing cups/points, dental burs, composite compules and endodontic files.
Reading the label when purchasing any item for a dental office is important. The label provides details if the item can be reprocessed or if it's deemed single use, if it needs to be sterilized prior to use, and the expiration date. Majority of single-use items are not heat tolerable. However, there are some single-use disposable products that are supplied non-sterile, and the manufacturer states that they must be sterilized prior to use. i.e., tofflemire matrix bands, endodontic files
Endodontic files are a common item where the reprocessing requirements differs from each manufacturer. Reading the MIFU is important to ensure you are not reusing a single-use item. Some manufacturers state that their endodontic files can be reprocessed unlimited times, others can be reprocessed up to a certain number of uses, while others will state for single-use only. For endodontic files that can be reprocessed up to a certain amount of uses, a dental office must ensure that there is a tracking system to keep track of the number of uses. Some endodontic file manufacturers will state that the files must be sterilized at 134°c for 18 minutes to deactivate potential prions. Most sterilizer cycles would not be able to handle this requirement. It's important to follow the MIFU and purchase the correct endodontic files for your office. Which files does your office use?
Before purchasing any dental item/device, it is required that the Manufacturer's Instructions For Use are available. Dental offices must achieve the manufacturer's requirements to ensure patient safety. Dental team members should recognize the single-use symbol and not reuse or reprocess any single-use item.
If you have any IPAC questions or would like an IPAC assessment please contact us on our home page.
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