As modern technology advances and as the options of dental air compressors expand, selecting and purchasing a new model can seem somewhat overwhelming. Dental air compressors can be a costly addition to an operatory; thus making it vital for buyers to take an ample amount of time to research and select the proper model for one’s practice.

The dental compressor is most likely not your main concern when going to the dentist for your yearly check. But studies have shown that the air that your dentist uses to blow dry your teeth isn’t always very healthy for you. You might not have thought about it, but somewhere in your dentist clinic is a compressor that supplies the compressed air for all his ‘work stations’. It’s not different from an ordinary workshop, only this time the compressor needs some extra special attention.

In the old days, dentist had no other choice than to buy a oil-lubricated compressor and use filters in the compressed air line to filter out any oil in liquid or vapor form. But, with filters you can never be 100% sure. Filters will get old and require replacement in time, before they deteriorate. Nowadays, a whole range of oilless air compressors is available on the market. Oilless air compressors have the big advantage that they are 100% oilless, so there is zero chance of oil in the compressed air system. Why first contaminate the air, to clean it up again later with filters, when you can create clean compressed air with an oilless air compressor?
 

There is however one downside to oil-free compressors: corrosion. The oil in oil-lubricated compressors will create a protective film of oil inside the air receiver and air piping. But still, an oil-free compressor would be highly favorable over an oil-lubricated one. There are galvanized or stainless steel air receivers available nowadays, as well as plastic compressed air piping, which will eliminate the problem of corrosion.

Of course, you won’t taste a little water in the compressed air, nor will it be toxic. But, water in the compressed air system will increase the risk of bacteria growth. So you really want to have water-free air coming from your compressor. For this reason, a dental compressor should be equipped with an compressed air dryer. There are different types of air dryers available, mainly refrigerated and desiccant. But I would recommend the adsorption air dryer (also called desiccant compressed air dryer).

Refrigerated compressed air dryers will only give you a pressure dew point of minimum 2 degrees. This means that below two degrees, water condensate will form on the inside of your equipment. This kind of dewpoint is nice for tools and grinders in a workshop, but is not low enough for a dental compressor.