Scanner Tip Maintenance

The scanner tip is the most essential part of the scanner as it is inserted into the patient’s mouth during scanning. Therefore, in order to prevent cross-contamination, the scanner tip must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected/sterilized after it touches a patient. Before using, please make sure that the scanner tip has been cleaned and disinfected/sterilized, and is sterile.

Warning

• The scanner tip can be sterilized under high temperature up to 100 times and must be disposed of afterwards.
• High-level disinfection and high temperature autoclave sterilization must NOT be combined.
• Before cleaning and disinfection/sterilization, please wear clean surgical gloves and goggles.

There are serval effective and approved methods:

• Method 1: Cleaning, auto-disinfection (optional) and high-level disinfection.
• Method 2: Cleaning, auto-disinfection (optional) and high temperature autoclave sterilization.

For cleaning steps, you can choose manual cleaning or auto-cleaning.

Manual cleaning steps

1. Disconnect the power of the scanner, and pull the scanner tip off the scanner body. See more details in Detach the scanner tip.
2. Pre-clean the scanner tip with purified water for 3 minutes to remove stains, such as saliva or blood.

3. Brush the inside and the outside of the scanner tip with a neutral enzyme surfactant for 3 minutes. Repeat the step for at least 2 times. 3M fast and efficient multi enzyme cleaning agent is recommended with a suggested ratio of 5 mL ~ 10 mL of cleaner to 1 L of water at a temperature of 25℃ ~ 40℃ (if the cleaning solution used is not the recommended one, please follow its instructions).

   • When cleaning the inside of the scanner tip, insert a sponge brush or a common brush into the scanner tip from both the front and rear ends, and move the brush lightly in tiny circles.
   • When cleaning the outside of the scanner tip, brush the surface back and forth lightly.

4. Rinse the scanner tip thoroughly with purified water for at least 3 minutes.

5. If there is any stain or fingerprint on the lens, repeat step 3 and 4.

   Note

   Rinse the scanner tip with purified water every time and discard the used water. Do not reuse the water for rinsing or any other purpose.

6. Dry the scanner tip with a soft lint-free cloth, and put it in a well-ventilated place to ensure it’s totally dry, or put it in a dryer for 10 minutes.

7. Inspect the lens of the scanner tip to make sure it is clean and free of damage.

Caution

If the lens of the scanner tip has cracks or scratches on it, contact your local distributor or service provider after cleaning and disinfection/sterilization.

Auto-cleaning steps

1. Disconnect the power of the scanner, and pull the scanner tip off the scanner body. See more details in Detach the scanner tip.

2. Pre-cleaning: Pre-clean the scanner tip with purified water and a sponge brush or a common brush for 2 minutes at a temperature of 35℃ ~ 40℃.

   • When cleaning the inside of the scanner tip, insert a sponge brush or a common brush into the scanner tip from both the front and rear ends, and move the brush lightly in tiny circles.
   • When cleaning the outside of the scanner tip, brush the surface back and forth lightly.

3. Auto-cleaning: After pre-cleaning, please place the scanner tip into a washing machine. Set the procedure as follows:

   1. Cleaning: Clean the scanner tip with a neutral enzyme surfactant for 5 minutes. 3M fast and efficient multi enzyme cleaning agent is recommended with a suggested ratio of 5 mL ~ 10 mL of cleaner to 1 L of water at a temperature of 25℃ ~ 40℃ (if the cleaning solution used is not the recommended one, please follow its instructions).
   2. Washing (rinsing): Wash (rinse) the scanner tip with purified water for 3 minutes at a temperature of 35℃ ~ 40℃.
   3. Thermal washing: Wash the scanner tip with purified water for 7 minutes at a temperature of 35℃ ~ 40℃.
   4. Terminal rinsing: Rinse the scanner tip with purified water for 10 minutes at the temperature of 90℃.
   5. Drying: Dry the scanner tip for 25 minutes at a temperature of 70℃ ~ 82.2℃.

4. Take out the scanner tip after drying. Inspect the lens of the scanner tip to make sure it is clean and free of damage.

   Caution

   • After drying, cool the scanner tip to room temperature to avoid a scald.
   • If the lens of the scanner tip has cracks or scratches on it, contact your local distributor or service provider after cleaning and disinfection/sterilization.

   Note

   If auto-disinfection is supported by the washing machine, it can be directly carried out after auto-cleaning is complete.

Auto-disinfection

Auto-disinfection can be carried out after cleaning. Set the procedure as follows:

1. Disinfection: Disinfect the scanner tip with purified water for 10 minutes at the temperature of 90℃.
2. Drying: Dry the scanner tip for 25 minutes at a temperature of 70℃ ~ 82.2℃.

3. Take out the scanner tip after drying. Inspect the lens of the scanner tip to make sure it is clean and free of damage.

   Caution

   After drying, cool the scanner tip to room temperature to avoid a scald.

High-level disinfection steps

1. Carefully fill the container with phthalaldehyde at a concentration of 5.5 g/L, and fully immerse the scanner tip in the disinfectant for at least 12 minutes at a temperature of 20℃ ~ 25℃.

   Note

   • When immersing the scanner tip into the disinfectant solution, please follow the instructions of the disinfectant solution.
   • It has been verified that the scanner tip can be disinfected in 12 minutes. It is not recommended to immerse the scanner tip in the disinfectant for more than 14 minutes.

2. Take out the scanner tip from the disinfectant, and rinse it with purified water 3 times and 1 minute for each to remove disinfectant residues.

   Note

   Discard the used purified water. Do not reuse the water for rinsing or any other purpose.

3. Flush the scanner tip with purified water for at least 3 minutes.

4. Dry the scanner tip with a soft, lint-free cloth and put it in a well-ventilated place to make sure it is totally dry, or put it in a dryer for 30 minutes.
5. Inspect the lens of the scanner tip to make sure it is clean and free of damage.

6. If using the scanner tip immediately is required, reconnect it; if not, store it with other dental instruments.

   Caution

   Before using or storing the scanner tip, please ensure that it is completely dry. Or it may cause damage to the scanner or affect scanning performance.

High temperature autoclave sterilization steps

1. Fill the scanner tip with medical gauze and seal it in an autoclave bag.

2. Place the wrapped scanner tip into a sterilizer and set the sterilization parameters according to the sterilizer type as shown in the following table.

   Sterilizer type	Sterilization parameters
   Dynamic-air-removal sterilizer	Sterilize for 4 minutes at 134°C; dry for 30 minutes.
   Gravity-displacement sterilizer	Sterilize for 30 minutes at 121°C; dry for 30 minutes.

   Caution

   After drying, cool the scanner tip to room temperature to avoid a scald.

3. Inspect the lens of the scanner tip to make sure it is clean and free of damage.

4. If using the scanner tip immediately is required, reconnect it; if not, store it with other dental instruments.

   Caution

   Before using or storing the scanner tip, please ensure that it is completely dry. Or it may cause damage to the scanner or affect scanning performance.