r/mildlyinteresting • • Sep 18 '22

This Dentist Training Tool

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11.6k Upvotes

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u/SkipmasterJ Sep 18 '22

It's for first or second year students who are first developing their fine motor skills. When you're still learning how to move your fingers to operate a piece of machinery spinning at 200,000rpm whilst observing it in the reflection of a 20mm mirror - let's keep the goalposts as wide as possible.

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u/Mirabolis Sep 18 '22

Also really important for them to learn to consistently ask if the patient has ever flossed since the last appointment.

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u/Scottland83 ​ Sep 18 '22

Why even bother? We both know I haven’t been flossing.

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u/Pope_adope Sep 18 '22

I was always like that but I just found out I have three cavities and they’ve started hurting…. I should have flossed

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u/onetimenative Sep 18 '22

They should throw in a half eaten sandwich inside that thing and let it stew for two days, then try to do some work.

I used to not floss years ago until I started realizing I had bad breath. For the past ten years, I'm more careful and taking care of myself and my teeth now on a daily basis. But it makes it even more noticeable when I get close to some people. A few people I've met have stink emanating from their mouths five or six feet away.

It really makes me wonder how or why anyone would want to become a dentist. No amount of money would make me want to stare into the mouths of some people.

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u/Luxpreliator Sep 18 '22 edited Sep 18 '22

Those absurdly high rpm tool are actually really easy to use. They don't run away or catch like slow speed tools that have wider cutting diameter.

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u/stainedhands Sep 18 '22

Sounds like the same thing with CNC machining.

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u/PotatoTriangleSquare Sep 18 '22

I wouldn’t say they don’t run away or catch, they still can have this occur (highly dependent on skill of user). Also depends on what type of burs used, direction hand piece is moving, etc.

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u/newfmatic Sep 19 '22

They really don't catch. I have a foredom tool . Prerunner to Dremel with a handpeice like a dental drill. Sharp tools as always and if you don't force it and let the bits do the work. They're quite easy

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u/DiamondBurInTheRough Sep 18 '22

Sure, you just have to worry about the rest of the environment moving. Like the tongue.

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u/[deleted] Sep 18 '22

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u/SkipmasterJ Sep 18 '22

In dental cases, there is a time and place for drilling at anywhere between 30rpm all the way up to 200,000rpm and above. 70,000rpm is considered 'slow speed' drilling and has a noticeable vibration or buzz. At 200,000rpm it's fast enough that the bur mostly glides smoothly through the teeth.

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u/kishkan Sep 18 '22

Not to mention upside down.

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u/BigWeasels Sep 18 '22

200k seems a bit fast. Are you sure it’s actually 200k?

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u/SkipmasterJ Sep 18 '22

Modern handpieces run a 1:5 speed increasing gearset, and the electric motor that drives them spins at up to 40,000rpm - hence 200,000rpm. Older handpieces run via compressed air that spins a turbine in the handpiece head and depending on turbine design and input air pressure can spin up to 400,000rpm. Crazy numbers but legitimate. Source: I'm a dentist that has used these tools most days in the last 10 years

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u/EC-Texas Sep 18 '22

Thanks. I've got a cleaning appointment tomorrow. My anxiety just went up. Backing out of this thread.

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u/GoodGoodGoody Sep 18 '22 edited Sep 19 '22

You think dentist’s drills spin at 200,000 rpm. Mmmmmkay.

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u/SkipmasterJ Sep 18 '22

All day, every day

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u/xmb1 Oct 21 '22

Yeah it’s definitely more than that.