As with all dental apparatus, consistent and proper disinfection or sterilization is required when making use of intra oral dental cameras. Most intra oral camera wands cannot be decontaminated in a heat sterilizer because the fragile workings of the internal lens would not hold up to the intense heat. Gentle disinfection is in order with most intra oral dental camera wands. Dipping it in sterilizing solutions and spraying it with disinfectants are also not considered a good way to disinfect your intra oral camera. As an alternative, gently wipe the wand area with either a sterile cloth moistened with water and a mild antibacterial soap, but make sure to avoid the lens. It would also be a good idea to check the manual, and disinfect your intra oral dental camera according to the manufacturer’s specific disinfection procedures.
Most intra oral dental camera makers advise against wiping the delicate IOC lens directly; though others may advise a light alcohol wipe. Dry wiping can also scratch and impair the delicate lens. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and do what is best for your intra oral camera’s prolonged usability. To guard the lens of your intra oral dental camera and keep to the universal infection control guidelines, it is advisable to use the manufacturer’s indicated barrier sleeve. Usually, an intra oral camera barrier sleeve has an inner and an outer cover. The outer covering ensures that the inner sheath remains fresh, clean, and all set for intra oral use. Single layer sheaths are available but provide less infection control.
To use, lightly slip the wand of the intra oral dental camera into the inner cover and carefully peel away the outer sheath. Avoid handling or touching the clean inner sheath. Your intra oral camera wand and its recommended sheath may demand specific interface. For example, you might have to insert the camera wand face down or face up so that the clearest side of the plastic lines the lens. This would yield a clear field of view. Most of the time, the sheaths are marked with an imprint to designate proper insertion for clearest viewing. Wrong use of the sheath could affect the lens, and produce blurred images.