Infection control of light curing units

Abstract

ABSTRACT 광중합기사용시의감염조절 장훈상*원광대학교치과대학치과보존학교실, 원광치의학연구소 INFECTION CONTROL OF LIGHT CURING UNITS Hoon-Sang Chang* Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Wonkwang Dental Research Institute, Iksan, Korea When curing the composite restorations with light curing units, the light guides are often in direct con-tact with oral tissues, therefore contamination of light guides is inevitable. Curing light guides fall into thesemicritical instrument category according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) andmust be heat or vapor-sterilized or at a minimum, these semicritical instruments must be sterilized in aliquid chemical agent. Currently, most common methods of maintaining sterility of the light guides arewiping the guide with a disinfectant, such as glutaraldehyde, after each patient use; using autoclavableguides; using presterilized, single-use plastic guides; and using translucent disposable barriers to cover theguide. [J Kor Acad Cons Dent 35(4):235-237, 2010]