EMS Reprocessing guide 2024

Modern prophylaxis requires an equally modern preparation workflow. What used to be considered time-consuming and cost-intensive can now be designed to save costs, space and time thanks to advanced technology. Our innovative 4-in-1 Careclave solution combines cleaning, disinfection, care and sterilization in a single device. Thanks to the attachable Carebox, this workflow enables outstanding cleaning and disinfection results for up to 8 transfer instruments, such as prophylaxis handpieces or ZEG tips, in just 16 minutes. Simply place your instruments in the Carebox Green and select the appropriate reprocessing program.

Our versatile 4-in-1 solution adapts flexibly to your needs and offers different program options depending on the load in the chamber. The Care-Therm program enables fast cleaning and disinfection of a fully loaded Carebox Green. However, Careclave complies with both the standard for thermal disinfectors (EN 15883) and for autoclaves (EN 13060). This means you can sterilize up to 8 trays or 4 MELAstore boxes with a total of up to 11 kg of instruments, including wrapped handpieces and ZEG tips, in just one cycle with the Universal B program. For smaller quantities of wrapped instruments, the Care-B Combi program offers the option of efficiently reprocessing them on short trays together with the Carebox Green. These flexible options ensure that your instruments are available quickly and provide you with optimum support in your day-to-day work.

With AIRFLOW® handpieces and instruments you can remove the stained biofilm supra- and subgingivally up to 4 mm. In the event of contact with mucous membranes or pathologically altered skin, the English hollow instruments are classified as at least semi-critical category B in accordance with RKI recommendations. Although some treatment steps take place above the gums, dental treatment can quickly move into a critical area. This is mainly due to the frequent bleeding of patients' gums and the easy accessibility of calculus in the gingival pockets or under the gingiva.

To ensure the necessary flexibility in treatment, a thorough process of cleaning, disinfection and packaged sterilization is required. This applies to both the handpiece and the powder jet nozzle, as both parts must be regarded as a single unit when used together.

The components of the PERIOFLOW® treatment, which are used to remove calculus in deep pockets up to 9 mm, on furcations and on implants, are clearly classified as critical category B due to the necessary invasive mode of operation. The handpiece must therefore also be packaged and sterilized. The nozzle for subgingival treatment, on the other hand, is designed by EMS as a single-use product that is replaced after each use and is therefore not reprocessed.

The PIEZON® instrument is used both supragingivally and up to 10 mm subgingivally. The various P, PI, PS or PSR tips used for their invasive and periodontal surgical applications require a complete reprocessing cycle with cleaning, disinfection and packaged sterilization. The correct classification of ZEG or PA tips, which are only used above the gingiva, is somewhat more complex. Although classification as semi-critical B would theoretically be possible, the variable requirements of different patient groups often mean that more extensive reprocessing is necessary. To ensure legal safety, it is advisable to always carry out complete reprocessing including packaged sterilization. Please bear in mind that the risk classification must be carried out by each operator and justified to the authorities. Be on the safe side - your patients, your team and your sleep will thank you!

Safe reprocessing of your EMS instruments is of course also possible with a combination of thermal disinfector and autoclave. This is because our high-quality EMS adapters also maximize efficiency in the MELAtherm. In the first step, instrument sets for over 45 patients and up to 33 hollow-body instruments are cleaned, disinfected and dried per cycle.

You can install the adapters either directly in the injector rail with Cleanfinity filter or, if a central filter is not used, using a single filter housing (order no. 73905). For optimum convenience, we recommend the Flex 1 injector basket (order no. 80740), which can conveniently reprocess up to six ZEG, ultrasonic or air scaler tips, whereby only two connections are required on the injector rail.

The second step involves the packaged sterilization of the handpieces and the ZEG tips including torque wrench in a B-class autoclave, such as our Premium class.