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Dry heat sterilizer
Also called: dry heat oven, hot air sterilizer, rapid heat transfer sterilizer
An oven that sterilizes instruments with very hot, dry air.
A dry heat sterilizer works like a very hot oven. It does not rust instruments, but it takes longer and gets hotter than steam. CDC lists common settings of 170 C (340 F) for 60 minutes or 160 C (320 F) for 120 minutes. There are two kinds: static-air (oven type) and forced-air, which blows the hot air around so cycles are faster.
How to spot it
- A boxy oven with a front door and temperature dial or display, no water reservoir.
- No steam or water when you open it.
What it is used for
- Sterilizes heat-tolerant items that moisture could damage, such as burs and some orthodontic instruments.
- Instruments and packaging must be rated for the high temperatures.
Safety and care
- Contents stay very hot after the cycle; use heat-resistant gloves or let them cool.
- Spore-test it with the spore strip made for dry heat (Bacillus atrophaeus).
- Plastic and some packaging will melt; use only materials made for dry heat.
Related
Sources: CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17), CDC. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008): Other Sterilization Methods, CDC. Dental Infection Prevention FAQs: Sterilization Monitoring