Environmental decontamination in oral surgery

the rotating instruments (low or high speed) or the oscillating instruments used in dentistry, as well as the piezoelectric handpieces specific for oral surgery (analogous to ultrasonic scalers in oral hygiene) generate bioaerosol. these are defined as airborne particles of liquid or volatile components. any dental treatment involving the use of such instruments liberates a large number of microor- ganisms in the surrounding air. these bacteria come mainly from the oral cavity and only secondly from the water lines of the dental unit. therefore, bioaerosol represents a poten- tial mechanism for the spread of infections. For this reason, methods of protection against the influence of bioaerosol and splatter should be adopted, to avoid the effectiveness of surgery being reduced by environmental contamination.