Why I Use.. XP Sharpen-Free Technology

As hygienists, our time is precious, and finding new ways to maximize it means we can focus on what truly matters—helping our patients. By eliminating the need to pause for instrument sharpening, we free ourselves up to focus more on patient care. That time can be used to do a better job gathering assessment details, interpreting data for an improved dental hygiene diagnosis, or educating the patient on methods to improve their overall health and wellness.

Although I do admit that I love to sharpen instruments, recent studies have shown that many of us are not effective sharpeners, and when we do make the time to sharpen, we often inconsistently alter the cutting edges on our instruments. That’s where XP Sharpen-Free scalers and curettes come in. Each XP instrument is manufactured by embedding titanium nitride into the surface of a stainless-steel instrument to increase the hardness and quality of its cutting edge. This creates an instrument that remains sharp for a long amount of time and does not need to be honed between uses. It also allows for a thinner blade that starts sharp and stays sharp, rather than a bulky blade that will be sharpened away over time.

Embracing Change for Good

Change can be hard, and I must admit that I was quite cynical when I first tried these instruments out—I even tried to sharpen them once and ended up cutting a groove in my sharpening stone! While many of us hold tight to our trusted stainless-steel instruments, it’s perfectly fine to start small by investing in 1 or 2 XP instruments at a time to see if you like the results. As long as you use a pH neutral cleaning solution, there’s no harm in having the 2 types of steel together in a cassette during sterilization.

While XP Sharpen-Free scalers and curettes require a slightly different clinical technique, the benefits far outweigh any initial learning curve. Along with the time saved from no longer needing to sharpen, XP instruments’ lighter weight leads to less hand fatigue, encouraging better ergonomics over time.

If you're on the fence, I encourage you to try these instruments during demos or trial periods so that you can experience the advantages firsthand. You might discover—just as I did—that your initial resistance was based on familiarity rather than actual performance. 

Comfort on Both Sides of the Chair

While I immediately noticed both the ergonomic and time-saving benefits of XP Technology, I was pleasantly surprised that my patients noticed I was doing something different, too. They commented that there was less force and noise during their instrumentation, which made me confident that the instruments I was choosing to use were making a difference chairside. Beyond daily practice, the consistent performance of these instruments allows hygienists to tackle more challenging cases with ease, while decreasing the likelihood of injury from musculoskeletal stressors over time.

Case in Point: Boge 513

My idea for the Boge 513 came shortly after using a hoe instrument to scale off tenacious calculus on an especially challenging lingual bar. By this point, I’d switched all my other instruments to XP Sharpen-Free—except for this particular hoe scaler. It’s amazing how creating this instrument with a new shape and bend, in addition to adding XP technology, makes the process of the working stroke easier, especially in lower anterior lingual and upper molar buccal areas.

The Boge 513 has been embraced by hygienists because of its unique design and inside cutting edge on the hoe end of the instrument, which is notably thinner and angled differently than what the dental industry has seen in the past. In addition to changing the angle of the more traditional hoe, the cutting edge was altered to provide a slight “lip.” With this design, the clinician can more easily reach the lingual areas of the teeth, and thanks to a longer terminal shank, it’s even easier for patients with noted recession. 

Exciting Times Ahead

The future of dental hygiene instrumentation is brimming with possibilities. Our understanding of biofilm removal and biofilm-retentive factors is steadily increasing, which will no doubt influence the instruments of tomorrow.

And as sharpen-free instruments become more common, we may see the development of entirely new categories of dental instruments that further streamline procedures, improve outcomes for patients, and minimize body fatigue and other risks for dental clinicians. It's an exciting time to be a dental hygienist!