How to Disinfect Your T-Scan Handpiece, Sensors, and Supports

As the dental industry charges toward a new era, processes for caring for patients and staff, while keeping a safe and clean practice, must intensify. New ADA protocols and standards have been introduced over the last several weeks, with many other associations around the world following similar recommendations. This ADA return-to-work guidance toolkit is one of these many resources that detail some of these recommendations, including a chairside checklist for cleaning and disinfecting.

As explained in this Dentistry Today article written by Jeff Haddad, DDS, dental practices can send a positive message to patients by implementing enhanced safety protocols in their practice right now. Adopting new technology, equipment, and techniques to improve the health, safety, and experience for the patient, will help them stay ahead of the curve of new ADA directives. A significant role in all of this are the steps you and your staff take to disinfect your dental equipment.

For T-Scan™ digital occlusal analysis system users, we have detailed our disinfection recommendations for our Handpiece, Sensors, and Supports, in our user manual.

Here are Tekscan’s Recommendations for Disinfecting Your T-Scan Handpiece, Sensors, and Supports

Novus Handpiece and Evolution Handle

Cleaning: Remove gross contamination from all surfaces of the Handpiece with an EPA-registered hospital cleaning and disinfecting wipe such as CaviWipes™ (Metrex™ Research) or equivalent. Use as many wipes as necessary until visibly clean. Discard wipe(s) in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations for infectious materials disposal.
Disinfection: After proper cleaning is performed, apply an additional EPA-registered hospital cleaning and disinfecting wipe to all surfaces of the Novus Handpiece. Follow wipe manufacturer’s instructions for appropriate contact duration. Discard wipe.
- Note: Novus Handpiece cleaning and disinfection instructions were validated using CaviWipes™ manufactured by Metrex™ Research, using manufacturer’s recommended visibly wet contact time of 30 seconds for cleaning and 3 minutes for disinfecting, both at room temperature.
Storage: The Novus Handpiece should be stored with the underside latch in the open (downward) position when not in use.

Sensors and Sensor Supports

Cleaning: Remove gross contamination from all surfaces of the Sensors and Sensor Supports, including all hard-to-reach areas, with an EPA-registered hospital cleaning and disinfecting wipe such as CaviWipes™ (Metrex™ Research) or equivalent. Use as many wipes as necessary until visibly clean. Discard wipe(s) in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations for infectious materials disposal.
Sensor Support Disinfection: After proper cleaning is performed, place the sensor support in a standard sterilization pouch suitable for steam sterilization. Place in Gravity Steam Sterilizer validated according to ANSI AAMI (EN) ISO 17665, making sure you do not exceed sterilizer’s maximum load when sterilizing multiple devices in one autoclave cycle. Run sterilization cycle of 132°C for 15 minutes, with a 30 minute drying cycle following the sterilization phase.
Sensor Disinfection: After proper cleaning is performed, place the sensor into disinfection solution at the manufacturer’s specified dilution for the manufacturer’s specified application time, ensuring that the sensor is fully immersed and not contacting any other products in disinfection bath. An EPA-registered hospital disinfectant containing o-phthalaldehyde is recommended, such as Cidex® OPA (Johnson & Johnson). Remove sensor from the solution and rinse disinfected sensor in a large volume (e.g. 1 gallon) of tap water for at least 1 minute. Replace water and repeat immersion for 1 minute two more times, replacing rinse water each time. Note: three (3) separate large volume water immersion rinses are required. Dry with a clean, soft cloth.
- Note: The same sensor can be used on the same patient across multiple sessions. The same sensor should not be used on different patients.
- Note: Novus Sensors / Sensor Supports cleaning and disinfection instructions were validated using CaviWipes™ manufactured by Metrex™ Research, using manufacturer’s recommended visibly wet contact time of 30 seconds for cleaning and 3 minutes for disinfecting, both at room temperature.

Note: Novus sensor disinfecting instructions were validated using Cidex® OPA manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, immersed for 12 minutes at room temperature.

Note: Novus sensor support disinfecting instructions were validated by a Steris® AMSCO® Lab 250 Steam Sterilizer at 132°C for 7.5 minutes, with a 30-minute drying cycle

Note: Beaucoup® by Ecolab® Healthcare, Wescodyne® by Steris® Corp, and 1 Stroke Environ® by Steris® Corp are not recommended for cleaning or disinfecting the Novus Handpiece, Sensors, and Sensor Supports. In tests, when used in concentrated quantities, they can discolor or possibly crack the housing material for the Handpiece and Sensor Supports.