Instrument Care Guide

Pre-Sterilization

1. Clean: Remove all foreign material from the surface of your orthodontic pliers/instruments using a denture brush.
2. Ultrasonic Cleaning: Run your orthodontic pliers and instruments through an ultrasonic cleaner.
   • Tip: Use distilled or deionized water.
   • Tip: Do not leave orthodontic pliers/instruments in the ultrasonic unit longer than recommended.
   • Tip: Use an ultrasonic solution that contains lubricants and rust inhibitors, and doesn’t require rinsing. Try Precision Plier Service brand Multi-Purpose Ultrasonic Solution.
3. Dry: Thoroughly dry the instruments with a towel or compressed air.
4. Lubricate: Lubricate all hinged orthodontic pliers/instruments and wipe off any excess. Try Precision Plier Service brand Hinged Instrument Lubricant.

Stains are surface deposits on orthodontic pliers and instruments, often mistaken for rust. While rusting is rare, stains can appear in various colors, each indicating a different cause.

• Orange/Brown Stains: Usually caused by a phosphate layer resulting from water sources, detergents, or cold sterilization solutions.
• Black Stains: Often due to an acid reaction, typically from low pH detergents used during cleaning.
• Dark Brown Stains: Typically the result of dried organic material left on the instrument.
• Blue/Black Stains: Caused by plating issues or mixing dissimilar metals during cleaning or sterilization.

• Water Quality: Use only distilled or deionized water in ultrasonic cleaners to prevent staining and premature dulling of cutting edges.
• Cleaning Duration: Do not leave instruments in the ultrasonic cleaner longer than necessary.
• Drying: Ensure instruments are completely dry before sterilization using a towel or compressed air.
• Sterilizer Maintenance: Regularly check that your sterilizer/autoclave is functioning correctly and completing its drying cycle.

• Wire Bends When Cutting: This may be due to play in the plier joint, causing the cutting edges to misalign.
• Plier Scores or Marks Wire: Likely caused by joint play, leading to improper alignment of cutting edges.
• Plier Doesn’t Cut at Tip: Caused by misaligned cutter edges, often from cutting wire larger than the plier’s capacity.
• Plier Doesn’t Hold Wire: Tips may have excessive wear, or the joint may be loose.
• Tight or Stiff Hinge: Indicates corrosion or buildup in the hinge, which can be addressed with Precision Plier Service brand Hinged Instrument Lubricant.

Precision Plier Service offers a premium line of orthodontic plier and instrument care products, including a concentrated, no-rinse Multi-Purpose Ultrasonic Cleaning Solution, a steam-permeable Hinged Instrument Lubricant, and a non-toxic Rust and Stain Remover. These products are specifically formulated to Prolong Precision Performance™ and help you get the most from your orthodontic instruments.