Taking Dental Hygiene to Infinity and Beyond

From the outside, a career in dental hygiene might seem like smooth sailing. With their friendly chairside manner, hygienists make the delivery of thorough prophylaxis treatments, persuasive patient education, and essential home care discussions appear effortless.

However, when you step into the shoes of hygienists who have dedicated years to education and training in pursuit of their lifelong passions, an often unspoken reality exists: a battle with stress, strain, and physical wear and tear that could, unfortunately, shorten their clinical careers.

Infinite Protection Assured

But there is still hope! Transitioning from the clinical grind into educational roles, hygienists like Nicole Fortune and Lauren Kanzigg share their invaluable hands-on experience and insights with the clinical team at Young Innovations. There, they help develop solutions for today’s practicing hygienists, including the Infinity Cordless Hygiene Handpiece.

“It’s no secret that patients don’t love coming to see us, and for some, one of the hardest things for them to do is lay in our chairs,” Fortune said. “Using the Infinity is like wrapping up the patient’s hygiene appointment with a bow, offering a gentle finishing touch that people love.”

A Lighter Approach to Hygiene Treatments

Additionally, Kanzigg highlighted research studies suggesting that more than half of the patients who come into a practice for treatment experience dental anxiety, which can stem from auditory and visual stimulants.  

“If they are hearing a loud whining or air gushing noise, or they are seeing these big units and so many tools that might end up applying some pressure on their mouth, it can be a scary experience,” she explained. “One of the things we need to consider with the sheer number of patients coming in is what can we do to help make those people feel better. A cordless handpiece not only helps with taking the pressure and resistance off our hands, but it also relieves the pressure applied to the patient’s mouth and truly makes them feel more comfortable in the dental environment.”

Specifically, the Infinity Cordless Hygiene Handpiece weighs in at just 118 g, which is about 4 oz, and includes a cordless floor pedal for increased range of motion and mobility. “It is more balanced than other cordless handpieces and feels substantially lighter to me,” Fortune said.

“The Infinity definitely sets Young apart in the dental handpiece space. After using this handpiece, I thought I had died and gone to heaven,” Kanzigg said. “It is so incredibly light, and I love the responsiveness of the Bluetooth foot pedal. There are not a lot of buttons to press on the actual device, which is more practical for functionality while being more ergonomically safe for your fingers and wrist, too.”

Flexibility by Design

Clinicians using the Infinity Cordless Hygiene Handpiece, with a 360° nosecone swivel and a rotary motion, can easily access any area of a patient’s mouth. “Especially for patients who can’t open their mouths as wide, the Infinity handpiece helps you and your patient avoid uncomfortable positions to reach a certain area,” Kanzigg said.

Fortune also said, “I can adjust how I am holding it without the cumbersome limitations of a cord, and I can access any part of the mouth from any direction."

The Infinity Cordless Hygiene Handpiece is compatible with virtually all disposable prophy angles and includes 3 detachable, autoclavable nosecones. This enhances and simplifies infection control practices in compliance with CDC guidelines. “The Infinity handpiece gives clinicians the flexibility to choose what products they like to use for hygiene treatments, as well as what is best for each patient,” Fortune said. "The handpiece is designed with some fl at edges, so it stays on surfaces well and is a little easier to hold. We don't have to worry about it rolling off our trays and onto the floor."

Leave Burdensome Hygiene Behind

The handpiece also offers a battery life that lasts 4 times as long as other cordless handpieces on the market. “Infinity’s battery life makes it an exceptional option for offices with fewer delivery units or for those practicing mobile dentistry who don’t have access to outlets or charging stations,” Kanzigg said. “We have heard from several hygienists telling us that they can go a whole day, sometimes multiple days, without having to charge the Infinity handpiece, which is almost unheard of with other brands.”

Furthermore, the Infinity handpiece operates with a variable speed range of 500 to 3,000 rpm, and yet, its operation is smooth and quiet. Kanzigg said this can be calming for patients and help prevent the onset of tinnitus for clinicians.

“We go through a wild, crazy journey with these patients in a very short amount of time,” Fortune said. “They come in already anxious, and then we do evaluations, tell them what else they should be doing, and clean and debride their teeth with our instruments, which can be assertive. Polishing with the Infinity means the hard part is over both for us and our patient. To end with something very smooth, quiet, and even-pressured makes them feel good and is a nice way to put all that happened over the past 30 minutes in their rearview mirror.”