The Air-Driven Dental Unit: Form and Function at a Mechanical Level.

The goal of this article is to provide an overview at a mechanical level of how the dental machine functions. A description of the low-speed handpiece and its air-driven micromotor as well as the high-speed handpiece and turbine will be provided. The compressor, rheostat, air-water syringe, suction, fiber-optic light, and handpiece couplings will also be discussed. It is important to understand the function of equipment to allow for troubleshooting problems and understanding maintenance requirements to keep equipment functioning optimally.