Thinking of heat sterilizing your articulators? The maximum temperature and time Whip Mix, Hanau™ and Denar® aluminum parts will tolerate is 300°F for 5 minutes. This includes the aluminum bite forks and the jig assembly for the Denar® Slidematic Face-bow, once the plastic thumbscrews are removed. The lift tray and pan for the Digital Water Bath are stainless steel and can be autoclaved along with other instruments of like material, according to CDC, ADA and local directives. te is 300°F for 5 minutes. This includes the aluminum bite forks and the jig assembly for the Denar® Slidematic Facebow, once the plastic thumbscrews are removed. The lift tray and pan for the Digital Water Bath are stainless steel and can be autoclaved along with other instruments of like material, according to CDC, ADA and local directives.
Most sterilizers have several programs/cycles to select, based on time and temperature. Generally speaking, if a product cannot tolerate high temperatures for long periods, a longer cycle of a decreased temperature would be selected. Since we cannot anticipate every type of heat sterilizing unit being used on the market, it is up to the operator to determine the cycle that best suits the needs for the instruments being sterilized. That selection should be based on the composition of material being sterilized, along with the heat exposure limits of that material.
As a manufacturer, providing the maximum heat and time exposure allows our customers to make an informed decision based on the CDC or other local directives.
For cleaning the outer surface of electrical products like a vibrator, mixer or a waterbath, you can use a disinfecting agent like Cavacide (see links below), following their guidelines for the effective elimination of surface germs. Spraying on a clean cloth and wiping is probably the best option to avoid damaging the electronic components that could occur through direct spraying. Treat the machine itself like any other electronic device in the operatory and the stainless steel pans and bite forks as you would any other dental instrument.
https://www.mvapmed.com/MSDS_Forms/Cavacide%20MX-1024%20&%20MX-1000.pdf