Product Evaluation

Instruments that are sharp right out of the package are like a dream come true for dental hygienists. Along with that brand-new edge come the benefits that hygienists savor—precise, effective, and efficient treatment that’s comfortable for both clinician and patient.

Fast-forward to when that fresh-from-the-factory honeymoon is over. The instrument’s edges begin to dull, and a clinician’s hand or wrist begins to fatigue from the increased effort needed to accomplish a scaling procedure.

Leave it to Henry Schein to find a way to make the honeymoon last with its ACCLEAN family of double-ended curettes and scalers designed to maintain a long-lasting edge. The advanced micro-structure of UltraSteel provides long-lasting performance, and the uncoated design allows for resharpening and prolonged use.

“These scalers stayed sharp for the 2 weeks I used them, and I didn’t have to sharpen. That’s something I love about an instrument,” said hygienist Sherry Morrissey. The instruments’ lightweight construction and ergonomic design prompted Morrissey to send a message to her colleagues. “Anyone experiencing hand issues from instruments that are too heavy should try ACCLEAN Curettes and Scalers.”

Tip Sharpness

“The instruments held a sharp edge after quite a few uses,” shared Lynell Ciranna, and Donna Grzegorek agreed that the instruments maintained their sharp edge. Neither hygienist had to sharpen their instruments during the evaluation period. “Sharper instruments enabled more efficient treatment,” said Samantha Cosgrove, and Shannon Aikman was pleased that “the ACCLEAN instruments did not break” like some other curettes and scalers.

Ergonomics

Lightweight construction, ergonomic design, and UltraSteel’s long-lasting edge work together to reduce user fatigue and enhance tactile sensitivity. The grip is smooth with an etch design to keep the user’s hand in place and has grip rings to prevent the instrument from slipping.

“I like the handle design, lightness and balance, and the tactile touch was perfect for me,” shared Donna Shewbert. “They feel comfortable to use, and the handle size, weight, and pattern don’t cause fatigue,” Ciranna described. When scaling radiographic calculus on the distals of tooth Nos. 18 and 31, she reported, “Both instruments were sturdy and rigid enough to grab and remove without pinging.”

The “great ergonomic design” was Grzegorek’s favorite feature, and she reported “no hand fatigue during scaling and root planing.” Judy Goldberg “re-ally liked the ease of use, light weight, and balance” of the instruments, and the handle size provided Susan Afeltra with a “good and easy grasp.”

Access and Efficacy

Each evaluator chose 1 curette and 1 scaler to evaluate from among the 25 double-ended curettes and 18 double-ended scalers in the ACCLEAN line of hygiene hand instruments.

Preferring an instrument that’s thin enough to access tight areas, Shewbert said, “The McCall 13S/14S curette and H6/H7 scaler adapted well to interproximal surfaces and removed plaque and calculus efficiently.” She added, “The McCall’s long shank and blade allowed me to access a couple of deep pockets I felt I couldn’t reach with my current instruments.”

Similarly, Tessa Simpson shared, “After using the longer shank of the curette, I’m sold,” explaining that it helped her access deeper periodontal pockets. She also liked the scaler with a sickle on one end and a rounded spoon on the other end, which she described as “great in furcation entrances and on lower anteriors.” Ciranna appreciated the “long and sturdy cutting edge” of the Younger Good 7/8 curette as well as the curve, which she said “allows for good adaptation to tooth surfaces.”

Afeltra, who evaluated the H5/Langer L5 scaler and the Columbia 13/14 curette, was pleased to be able to get through an appointment with just these 2 instruments. “They adapt well to most mouths so there’s less need to switch instruments,” she explained. Morrissey found that the H6/H7 scaler “removed heavy calculus easily” and was “very effective at removing deposits in a patient who was long overdue for her cleaning.” Lisa Juliana agreed that the instruments “made scaling and removal of tenacious calculus easier.” When asked about improvements, Grzegorek recommended even thinner tips to further improve access.

Overall Satisfaction

Pleased with the sharpness of the ACCLEAN hand instruments, the evaluators also enjoyed the design features that enhanced user comfort and maximized treatment efficacy. All of them would recommend the instruments to colleagues.

“I’m always looking for ways to streamline my appointments,” concluded Afeltra. “Needing only 2 instruments to access both posterior and anterior teeth, along with their sharpness retention and ease of use, allowed me to do just that.”