CHICAGO - Stoma Dental launched its Dove backflow prevention saliva ejector (SE) valve at this week's 2016 Midwinter Meeting.
It is a one-way valve that virtually eliminates backflow cross-contamination risk between dental patients, according to the company.
Dove backflow prevention saliva ejector valve. Image courtesy of Stoma dental.Research shows that backflow occurs in about 1 in 5 patients who close their lips around the saliva ejector tip, the company said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that dental patients not be instructed to close their lips around the tip when it is in use.
Dove high-volume evacuation (HVE) and SE valves are simple to operate. Smooth switch activation by the dentist, assistant, or hygienist opens and closes the mechanism. At the end of procedures, the valves can be pulled off the vacuum line and discarded. The process takes seconds, making them more efficient and cost-effective than metal valves, which can take more than 10 minutes to sterilize (excluding autoclave time), according to Stoma.
The Dove system adapts to a range of single-use tips and includes tail caps to reduce noise and bacterial aerosols between Dove valve replacements.
