Effectiveness of Bench Top Non-Vacuum Autoclaves on Dental Turbine Chamber Sterilization

Abstract

<strong>Introduction:</strong> Dental turbine chamber is a suitable reservoir for living microorganisms, so chamber sterilization is necessary for reducing cross contamination risk. On the other hand, in non-vacuum autoclaves, steam penetration into turbine chamber is doubtful, while they are still in use in dental clinics. In this study, performance of small non-vacuum autoclave in turbine chamber sterilization was evaluated. <strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 48 dental turbines were sterilized by large vacuum autoclaves. The turbin chamber cap was opened in aseptic enviroment and a strip contaminated with bacillus stearothermophilus endospores was placed into chamber and chamber cap was closed. Twelve dental turbines were loaded in each of four autoclaves (2 large pre-vacuum autoclaves, 2 bench top non-vacuum autoclaves) and sterilization process preformed according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the sterilization cycle, the strips were transferred to culture medium and incubated at 56°C for 48 Hours. As control sample, a biologic indicator that had not been autoclaved was used for each group. <strong>Results:</strong> Being loaded in different autoclaves, All 48 turbines were sterilized properly and all the cultures were negative. The culture results of four control indicators which were not sterilized, were positive. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> There was no difference between performance of vacuum and non-vacuum autoclaves in dental turbine chamber sterilization. Both types performed sterilization properly