<h2 style="text-align:justify">Between Every Patient, No Exceptions</h2>

&nbsp;

Lares Research&#39;s own instructions for use are direct about this: the Pastel Plus should never be used without autoclaving between patients, since skipping it risks cross-contamination that could result in serious illness or even death from infectious organisms such as HIV or Hepatitis B. That&#39;s not a general best practice statement&nbsp; it&#39;s the specific language in the manufacturer&#39;s own IFU.

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Right After Treatment</h2>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Remove all residual bio-debris without delay</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Remove the prophy angle or Doriot attachment before cleaning</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Keep the handpiece dry and avoid running water into the backend tubes during any rinsing</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Cleaning Steps</h2>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Carefully scrub the external surface with a soft brush and warm tap water at 40&deg;C &plusmn; 5&deg;C (104&deg;F &plusmn; 10&deg;F) to remove visible debris and particles.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Take care not to run water into the backend tubes while scrubbing.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Dry with a towel or dry syringe air.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

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 Repair Guru
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			Never do this

			&nbsp;

			Never submerge the handpiece in any cleaning solution, and never use an ultrasonic cleaning system. Both are explicitly excluded in Lares&#39; instructions.
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Lubrication &nbsp;Before Every Sterilization Cycle</h2>

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Screw the lubrication nozzle onto the Lares One-Step Handpiece Conditioner tip.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Insert the lubrication nozzle into the drive air tube of the handpiece, the small tube at the back end.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">With the back-end tubes pointed away from you, spray lubrication into the handpiece for 1 to 2 seconds.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Run the handpiece for approximately 15 seconds to flush out excess lubricant.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Wipe down the exterior with a clean cloth to remove any remaining excess.</li>
</ol>

&nbsp;

This lubrication step happens before every single sterilization cycle; it isn&#39;t a weekly or occasional task.

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">If the Nose Cone Won&#39;t Swivel Freely</h2>

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Spray Lares One-Step Handpiece Conditioner into the tip of the nose cone for 1 to 2 seconds.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Manually rotate the nose cone to help free any stuck debris.</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">If this doesn&#39;t resolve the issue, return the device to the factory for repair rather than attempting to remove the nose cone yourself.</li>
</ol>

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Packaging and Sterilization</h2>

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Seal each handpiece in its own separate autoclave bag</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Remove the prophy angle from the handpiece before sealing it for autoclaving&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

&nbsp;

<a href="https://repair.dental/track-repair">Track Your Repair</a>

&nbsp;

<table align="center" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse; width:900px">
	<thead>
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			&nbsp;Cycle Type
			</td>
			<td style="background-color:black; border-color:black; border-style:solid; border-width:1px; width:456px">&nbsp;&nbsp;Time and Temperature</td>
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			<td>
			Gravity autoclave
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			At least 15 minutes at 132&deg;C (270&deg;F)
			</td>
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			Forced (dynamic) air removal, pre-vacuum, or steam pressure pulse
			</td>
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			4 minutes at 132&deg;C (270&deg;F), with a minimum 30-minute drying time
			</td>
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			Hard limits

			&nbsp;

			Temperature should never exceed 135&deg;C (275&deg;F). Do not autoclave for extended periods such as overnight, and do not leave the handpiece in the autoclave after the cycle is completed.
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h2 style="text-align:justify">&nbsp;</h2>

<h2 style="text-align:justify">After the Cycle</h2>

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Allow the handpiece to cool down for 30 minutes before handling</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Store it clean and dry, ready for the next lubrication-and-sterilization cycle&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

&nbsp;

<a href="https://repair.dental/print-shipping-label/handpiece-repair">Print shipping label</a>

End-of-Day Habits

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Detach the handpiece from the delivery tube at the end of each day</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Also detach it prior to any other extended period of non-use</li>
</ol>

&nbsp;

Leaving the handpiece connected between uses isn&#39;t flagged as causing immediate damage in Lares&#39; documentation the way it is for some other product lines, but detaching it remains part of the manufacturer&#39;s standard operating recommendation.

&nbsp;

Related Readings from RepairGuru:

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li style="text-align:justify">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://repair.dental/repairguru/apex-locators/multi-frequency-algorithm-signal-processing">Multi-Frequency Algorithm: Signal Processing</a></li>
	<li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://repair.dental/repairguru/apex-locators/circuit-board-moisture-desiccation-methods">Circuit Board Moisture: Desiccation Methods</a></li>
	<li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://repair.dental/repairguru/apex-locators/firmware-updates-procedure-and-risks">Firmware Updates: Procedure and Risks</a></li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Mistakes to Avoid</h2>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Submerging the handpiece in any cleaning solution</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Using an ultrasonic cleaner</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Skipping lubrication before a sterilization cycle</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Running water into the backend tubes while scrubbing</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Autoclaving overnight or for extended periods beyond the validated cycle time</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Leaving the handpiece in the autoclave once the cycle finishes</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Attempting to remove the nose cone to fix a swivel problem</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">Exceeding 135&deg;C in any sterilization cycle</li>
</ul>

<h2 style="text-align:justify">&nbsp;</h2>

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Extending the Handpiece&#39;s Working Life</h2>

&nbsp;

Lares recommends factory service every 300 autoclave cycles or one year, whichever comes first. Between those service intervals, the habits that matter most are straightforward: lubricate before every sterilization cycle without exception, keep water out of the backend tubes during cleaning, and don&#39;t skip the cool-down period before handling a freshly autoclaved unit.

&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align:justify">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>

&nbsp;

<h3 style="text-align:justify">How often does the Pastel Plus need lubrication?</h3>

Before every single sterilization cycle. Lares&#39; instructions don&#39;t specify a weekly or monthly interval separate from this, since sterilization happens between every patient.

&nbsp;

<h3 style="text-align:justify">Can I clean the Pastel Plus in our washer-disinfector along with other instruments?</h3>

Lares&#39; instructions describe manual cleaning with a soft brush and warm water as the documented method, with no automated cleaning step listed for this handpiece.

<h3 style="text-align:justify">&nbsp;</h3>

<h3 style="text-align:justify">What&#39;s the difference between the two validated sterilization cycles?</h3>

A standard gravity autoclave cycle runs 15 minutes at 132&deg;C, while a forced-air-removal (pre-vacuum or steam pressure pulse) cycle runs a shorter 4-minute exposure at the same temperature.

&nbsp;

<hr />
For more insights on professional dental equipment repair, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://repair.dental/">Repair.Dental</a>&nbsp;or follow us on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/repair.dental">Facebook&nbsp;</a>&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/repair.dental/">Instagram</a>.

Official Lares Research cleaning, lubrication and sterilization steps for the Pastel Plus prophy handpiece.

Pastel Plus Maintenance Guide| Repair.Dental