An air turbine is a small, fast, unforgiving machine. It spins at hundreds of thousands of revolutions a minute on bearings you cannot see, cooled by a spray you have to trust. Everything that keeps it healthy happens in the few minutes between patients, and it happens at the sterilization sink, not in the operatory.

This playbook turns Bien-Air's Instructions for Use for the Boralina into a routine that fits real clinic life. It covers what to stock, the exact order of steps, the difference between the two lubricants Bien-Air approves, and the small details that surprise even experienced teams. For example: Bien-Air says not to immerse the turbine in a disinfecting bath, which is the opposite of what many teams do with contra-angles.

A turbine is a small, fast, unforgiving machine. What keeps it healthy happens at the sink, not in the operatory.

30 min

to clean, disinfect, and lubricate after treatment

1 sec

Spraynet spray, exterior and interior

10–15 s

Run with a bur before patient use

3 years

Recommended check or service

PIN THIS ABOVE THE SINK

Clean, disinfect and lubricate within 30 minutes of every treatment, then sterilise
Bur out for cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation, every time
No ultrasonic cleaner. No disinfecting-bath immersion. No saline soak
Lubricate before each sterilisation, and at least twice a day
After sterilising, run it 10 to 15 seconds with a bur in before use

The 30-Minute Window: Why Turbines Are Less Forgiving

Bien-Air's IFU is clear: before first use and within a maximum of 30 minutes after each treatment, clean, disinfect and lubricate the instrument, then sterilise. The stated reason is practical. Prompt care removes blood, saliva, or saline residues and prevents the transmission system from becoming blocked.

Turbines feel this more than most instruments. A single narrow water path and a fast-turning rotor mean a small blockage or a dry bearing shows up quickly. It is also why Bien-Air's US maintenance guide repeats the same 30-minute guidance for its handpieces.

The Boralina ships non-sterile, so the whole routine applies from the first patient.

Item	Bien-Air reference	What it is for
Spraynet (500 ml, box of 6)	1600036-006	Cleaning spray for exterior and interior
Lubrifluid (500 ml, box of 6)	1600064-006	Spray lubricant, one-second application
Lubrimed cartridges (box of 6)	1600037-006	Medical-grade grease for the greaser
Lubrimed greaser	1000003-001	Applies grease into the rear of the turbine
Cleaning wire (box of 10)	1000001-001	Clears the spray tubes
Pressure gauge for 4-hole attachment	1600243-001	Sets and checks supply air pressure

The Eight-Step Turbine Care Cycle, From Coupling to Class B

Disconnect and de-bur. Press the two push-buttons on the coupling and remove the turbine. Take the bur out of the chuck.
Clear the spray tubes. Use the Bien-Air cleaning wire on the spray tubes.
Brush the exterior. With a clean, disinfected soft-bristled brush, clean the outside under running water below 38°C.
Spray with Spraynet. Spray the exterior and interior for 1 second, then clean the surfaces gently with a soft cloth. Disinfectant wipes may also be used.
Let it drip-dry, then wipe the exterior with a paper towel, or move straight to disinfection.
Disinfect with a disinfectant recommended for dental instruments, following its maker's instructions. Do not immerse the turbine in a disinfectant bath.
Lubricate with Lubrimed or Lubrifluid (details below), with the bur removed.
Bag and sterilise, then run it briefly with a bur before use.

Bien-Air also says that if there is a lot of debris, the exterior can first be cleaned with disinfectant wipes.

Keeping the Spray Path Clear: The Cleaning Wire and Water Quality

The Boralina uses a single water spray, and that one route carries all of the cooling. The most common threat to it is not blood or saliva but water: Bien-Air warns that unfiltered hard water speeds up blockage of hoses, couplings, and spray diffusers, and it asks for regular maintenance of the compressor and filtration systems.

Use the wire as directed. Bien-Air supplies a cleaning wire (REF 1000001-001) precisely to unblock spray tubes. Use it as part of preliminary cleaning, gently.
Check the mist. Before every clinical use, look at the spray. It should be even, and Bien-Air says spray outlets must never be obstructed.
Look upstream. If several turbines lose spray at once, inspect filtration and the water supply before blaming the handpieces.
Keep water temperature moderate. Bien-Air specifies running water below 38°C during cleaning.

Further Reading from Our RepairGuru Blog:

Lubrimed or Lubrifluid? Choosing and Using Your Lubricant

Bien-Air's IFU approves two lubricants for the Boralina. Both are correct. Pick one method per team so everyone does it the same way.

	Lubrimed (grease)	Lubrifluid (spray oil)
Format	Medical grease cartridge in a yellow greaser	Spray can with a nozzle
Preparation	Screw the knurled rear section until grease appears in the middle of the tip	Select the appropriate end-piece and place the device in a cloth
Application	Bur out, insert the tip as far as it goes, turn the rear section about half a turn (use the markers)	Bur out, insert the nozzle in the rear of the handle, spray for 1 second
Finish	Replace the cap after use	Clean excess oil from the exterior

How often? Before each sterilisation, or at least twice a day. And always make sure the turbine is visibly clean first; if not, clean again with a soft brush.

WHY THE 10 TO 15 SECOND RUN MATTERS

Lubricant that has been applied and sterilised still has to go somewhere. Bien-Air asks you to run the turbine briefly at moderate speed, with a bur in the chuck, so the lubricant is distributed and the excess is expelled before the first patient contact. It costs about fifteen seconds and takes no tools.

The 10 to 15 second rule. After cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilising, and before using it, start the turbine at moderate speed with a bur in the locking mechanism for 10 to 15 seconds. This distributes lubricant and expels the excess so it does not end up in the patient's mouth.

Sterilisation Done Right: Class B Cycles, Bags and the Coupling Exception

Parameter	Bien-Air Boralina guidance
Packaging	Sterilisation bags large enough for items to move around, compliant with standards such as EN 868-5. Enclose the device and its accessories.
Cycle	Steam, class B cycle per EN 13060 / ISO 17665-1
Temperature and time	Up to 135°C; 3 or 18 minutes, depending on national requirements
Bur	Removed from the chuck
After the cycle	Remove the device from the steriliser immediately to reduce corrosion risk
Couplings	Unifix and LK 4HL couplings cannot be sterilised

Two extra cautions from Bien-Air: make sure both the steriliser and the water used are clean, and never cool a hot device by rinsing it. The manufacturer also warns that sterilisation quality depends on how clean the instrument is, so only perfectly clean turbines should go in.

Professional Dental Handpiece Lubrication. on Repair Guru

Washer-Disinfector or Manual? Six Mistakes to Avoid

Only instruments engraved with the thermo-washer symbol may go in a washer-disinfector. If yours is marked, Bien-Air calls for an approved washer-disinfector that complies with ISO 15883-1, with a low alkaline or enzymatic detergent (pH 6 to 9.5). Otherwise, stay with the manual route above.

Four habits that feel logical and are not, according to Bien-Air's turbine instructions:

Common belief	What Bien-Air's documents say
"A disinfectant soak is the thorough option."	Do not immerse the turbine in a disinfecting bath. Use Spraynet, soft cloths, or wipes as directed.
"Ultrasonic is faster."	Do not immerse it in an ultrasonic cleaner.
"The coupling can go in with the turbine."	Unifix and LK 4HL couplings cannot be sterilised.
"Once it is out of the autoclave, it can wait."	Remove the device from the steriliser immediately after each cycle to reduce corrosion risk.

Remove the bur before every step
Use Spraynet, Lubrimed, Lubrifluid and the cleaning wire
Use a soft-bristled brush
Remove the turbine from the steriliser right after the cycle
Run it for 10 to 15 seconds before use

DON'T

Use an ultrasonic cleaner
Immerse it in a disinfectant bath
Soak it in saline (NaCl)
Use corrosive detergents, or those containing chlorine, acetone, aldehydes, or bleach
Try to sterilise the Unifix or LK 4HL coupling

Delaying cleaning beyond 30 minutes.
Improvised lubricants, which Bien-Air warns can cause faults or void the warranty.
Skipping the wire on the spray tubes.
Leaving the turbine in the hot steriliser, inviting corrosion.
Skipping the pre-use run, which leaves excess lubricant to spray out.
Ignoring supply quality, particularly air pressure and hard water.

A Daily, Weekly and Monthly Rhythm, Plus a Printable Checklist

Bien-Air sets the per-treatment and twice-daily requirements. The weekly and monthly items below are suggested clinic habits built around the manufacturer's instructions.

Frequency	What to do
After every patient	De-bur, wire the spray tubes, brush, Spraynet, disinfect, lubricate, bag, sterilise, then run for 10 to 15 seconds before use
End of day	Confirm each turbine has been lubricated at least twice. Check bags are sealed and dry.
Weekly (suggested)	Check the spray pattern is even and the push-button is smooth. Record the number of cycles each turbine has done.
Monthly (suggested)	Verify supply air pressure at the coupling with the gauge (2.5 to 2.7 bar). Review stock of Spraynet, Lubrifluid, Lubrimed and wires. Check compressor and filtration maintenance.
Every three years	Book Bien-Air's recommended check or service. Use a Preventive Maintenance Agreement if you want it scheduled for you.

☐ Bur removed, turbine disconnected by pressing both coupling buttons

☐ Spray tubes cleared with the cleaning wire

☐ Exterior brushed under water below 38°C

☐ Sprayed for 1 second with Spraynet and wiped

☐ Disinfected without immersing in a bath

☐ Lubricated (Lubrimed or Lubrifluid), excess wiped

☐ Bagged and run through a class B cycle

☐ Removed from the steriliser immediately

☐ 10 to 15 second run with a bur before patient use

Above the Sink: What Sterilization Teams Say About a Turbine Routine

★★★★★

“The "no disinfectant bath" point was news to half our team. Seeing it from the manufacturer's own instructions changed a habit overnight.”

— Sterilization Coordinator, group practice

★★★★★

“We printed the checklist and put it above the sink. New assistants pick up the routine in a single shift.”

— Clinic Manager

★★★★★

“Checking air pressure with a gauge before blaming the turbine has saved us more than one unnecessary repair.”

— Registered Dental Hygienist

Ask Away: Boralina Maintenance FAQs

How soon after treatment should I clean my Boralina?

Within 30 minutes. Bien-Air's IFU asks for cleaning, disinfection, and lubrication within that window, followed by sterilisation.

Can I put a Boralina in an ultrasonic cleaner?

No. Bien-Air states not to immerse it in an ultrasonic cleaner, and also warns against submerging it in saline (NaCl).

Can I soak it in disinfectant?

Bien-Air's turbine procedure says not to immerse the instrument in a disinfecting bath. Instead, use Spraynet, a soft cloth, or disinfectant wipes, and follow the disinfectant maker's instructions.

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Bien-Air Boralina Maintenance Guide | Repair.Dental