Let’s Talk: Single Use Products in Tooth Gem Application

With so many products and methods in the tooth gem industry, there are dozens of applications that are not sanitary or safe. Without guidelines or clear definitions, it can be hard to discern which is which. My one rule of thumb- if it touches your client’s mouth, it should be single use and disposable.

What does this include? Well, let’s start with cheek retractors, which make the most contact with your client’s mouth and face. You shouldn’t be disinfecting your cheek retractors and reusing them. They should simply be tossed after each client. 

Silicone retractors can be more comfortable during a gem. But silicone is porous, meaning it is filled with microscopic holes and tears. Salivia, bacteria, germs, and disease can sit deep inside silicone material instead of just on the surface. This means cleaning with cavicide or any other hospital grade cleaner will not clean all of the bacteria. And it even means that intense cleaner will collect inside the material and get into your next client’s mouth. While comfortable for clients, the spread of bacteria is not worth it. Using silicone in a single use fashion can be done. Disposing of your client’s silicone retractor before the next keeps the issue of bacteria away, but silicone retractors can be expensive and most opt for hard plastic.

Just like silicone, wax is porous and cannot be properly sanitized- bacteria gets deep into the wax. Using rhinestone applicators to apply tooth gems directly onto your client’s tooth is spreading germs from one client to the other. While some gem techs opt to use a very small amount of vaseline on the end of a micro brush as a picker-upper substitute, many are less than impressed with the cloudiness or transfer of the vaseline on the gem.

Single use disposable wax tip applicators ($32 for a pack of 100 here) are the best way to place your gems. They can be thrown away after use and leave no wax transfer on your gem, keeping it perfect and sparkly.

Your flowable composite will be used over and over from client to client but the syringe tip that actually touches the mouth should be taken off and disposed of. Do this with gloves still on, putting the lid over the composite and sanitizing the tube completely. Keep in mind that this material is light sensitive. Always have a tip or cap on your syringe.

Applying material with microbrushes, syringe tips, and other applicators that are disposable keeps your product contained to a single person and helps prevent the spread of bacteria and disease.