Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings—2003
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Slide 55: Semi-critical Instruments
Slide Text
- Contact mucous membranes but do not penetrate soft tissue
- Heat sterilize or high-level disinfect
- Examples: Dental mouth mirrors, amalgam condensers, and dental handpieces
Speaker Notes
Semi-critical items contact only mucous membranes and do not penetrate soft tissues. As such, they have a lower risk of transmission.
Because most items in this category are heat-tolerant, they should be heat sterilized between patient uses. For heat-sensitive instruments, high-level disinfection is appropriate.
Examples of semi-critical instruments include dental mouth mirrors, amalgam condensers, and impression trays. Dental handpieces are a special case. Even though they do not penetrate soft tissue, it is difficult for chemical germicides to reach the internal parts of handpieces. For this reason, they should be heat sterilized using a steam autoclave or chemical vapor sterilizer.
Page last reviewed: September 22, 2009
Page last modified: April 26, 2005
Content source:
Division of Oral Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion
