COVID can spread via aerosols and many dental procedures create aerosols. Existing techniques such as our high speed suction, mirror suction tips, rubber dam and Isolite technology dramatically reduce the escape of aerosols, but we also added extraoral suction units for high risk procedures. 

Extraoral Suction Unit

While our existing techniques focus on suctioning in the mouth, these new suction units capture aerosols by serving as a suction unit outside the mouth. We spray disinfectant inside and let it run after each use as directed by the vendor. These units do not have a history of usage in dentistry and it is unclear what happens long term with the moisture being vacuumed into the units.  Without data from long-term usage or independent studies on these types of units, we primarily rely on our existing techniques to control aerosols during dental procedures, but do use these units as needed. The safest strategy is a good COVID screening process and reducing microbes prior to dental procedures by using hydrogen peroxide pre-rinses.