12 kg is the average dust load of hazardous substances that a dental technician receives per year.

Very great danger lurks in very fine dust. What are very fine dusts?

Dust particles which can enter the lungs and have a size between 0.01 and 1 µm. Whether cobalt, nickel, beryllium or quartz, dental technicians who do not use a perfect dust extraction system are living dangerously. However, substances such as plaster, gold or plastic also impair the health of your employees.

Why are very fine dusts hazardous to health?

The lung is particularly at risk from very fine dusts. The very small particles penetrate deep into the alveolar region of the lung and remain firmly fixed there. Here, they lead to tissue changes and scarring (pneumoconiosis) and can cause skin allergies.

Concentrations above certain limits can have fatal effects on the human body, for example poisoning or cancer.

How can you protect yourself from this?
Good dust extraction is essential. The use of a tailored suction hood with safety screens provides even more protection.

What criteria should be observed for dust extraction systems?

• The suction power: not too little, not too much.
• The separation (in %) depends on the filter. All KaVo dust extraction systems have a 3-filter system.

What limits should be observed?

MAK value: Average workplace concentration (duration of exposure 8 hours per working day; excluding carcinogenic substances according to § 15a GefStoffV); for quartz, this is 0.00015 g /m³ of room air; for plaster and gold, the figure is 0.008 g/m³.