What is the proper way to use a dental curing light?

I am a recent dental assisting grad and am working at my first job with a dentist who is never happy with how I cure a tooth. (He is a recent grad too.) No matter how I hold the light, it's never correct. He always adjusts it in the very smallest increments. In my dental assisting course, we didn't get that specific with how to do it. Does it really matter? Or is he just being very picky? If it does matter, I would really be happy if someone would be very specific about details.

What is the proper way to use a dental curing light?
he sounds like a bit of a prick. i was a dental nurse for a year or so and my boss didnt really care how i did it. i just put the light really close to the tooth and cured it for 40 seconds.
Reply:Be happy that your dentist is picky. Dentistry is very precise, the more things you are picky about, the better the outcome.





I have my assistants place the curing light's tip directly perpendicular and center to the plane of the surface being cured. It should be literally placed right adjacent to the material. You want a thorough and even curing; if the tip is held at an off angle, the material will not cure properly.





Good luck!
Reply:Hard to say without seeing how it is being done or how he is correcting it.





If the light gets on part of the composite, that will start the chain reaction of the curing. Even the light coming from the chair light or the overhead lights will start the reaction but more slowly.





I once saw an older assistant use the curing light but had it positioned behind the hand of the dentist so that the beams weren't really getting on the tooth. No matter how much the dentist told her the beam was hitting her hand, she just didn't get it and none of the light got on the composite.





Good luck with the boss. If the curing light is on the composite he may just be too picky.
Reply:Ask the dentist exactly how he would like you to hold the light.


The dentist I worked for would put the light exactly where he wanted it if it required the light to be at an angle he knew I may not be aware of. Then I took the light and held it there.


If you don't think you're doing something right, ask what the best way to do it is. It will save you and your boss a lot of frusteration.


He may not want to say anything b/c he doesn't want to seem mean. Or it may not be a big deal to him. Either way, it's a big deal to you. So ask.


Next time you're not sure of how to set the light, just look at him and say, "Like this?". There shouldn't be much explanation infront of the patient, but you have to know.


Good luck!


Merry Christmas!
Reply:Dentists can be very anal. Don't take offense to his adjustments. He wants things done the way he wants them done. Even if the curing light is correctly placed....the dentist may guide you a mm or 2 just because that is precisely where he would place it. It's called OCD and I know many Dr. who suffer from it. LOL:)





I'm a dental assistant as well. The only advise I can give you is....welcome to the dental assistants world! Just do as you are instructed and there will be no problems.





If you fear that you are curing wrong...your not. As long as the light is pointing at the composite restoration and is not touching it....it'll cure.





When I first began assisting I was always worried I was doing something wrong when the Dr. would tell me to move or do something else. Don't get discouraged...like I said before...just do what they say and bite your tongue. Let his actions roll right off of your back.





You're doing fine! Good Luck! :)





I have been blessed w/ a boss who I can joke around w/ and laugh at (when the pt. is not around) about silly anal things. I still do it his way b/c he pays me to do so, but I get a kick out of some of his OC ways.





A bit of advice seeing that you are new to this field...if you are not comfortable working w/ this dentist....eventually you will find a practice you can call home. It took me 6 yrs. to find my "dental home". I wish you the same happiness I have now!
Reply:That is just the beginning of his complaints. I have a newby too, and I have been in the field longer than him. I am still trying to train him. LOL





I just hold the light parrallel to the composite material, usually about 3-5 mm from the tooth. We have one of those LED lights, and also a few older ones. But on average I cure each layer of composite 20 seconds.





Don't worry, mine tries to adjust my light sometimes too. I just don't let it get to me, cause I figure he is looking at it from a different angle than me, and maybe from his angle it doesn't look lined up with the tooth.





Some advice: Get really good at temporaries!! It drives my dentist nuts when I can make one faster and better than him.
Reply:The dental material directions should state how to use the curing light for that particular product.


Perpendicular to the material and close for 10-40 seconds depending on the material.


Talk to your dentist to see what he wants....after all it's his a** if something goes wrong with the filling. And remember that you're new also and still learning. Just because you're a graduate doesn't make you an expert. Good luck on your job!!!

slippers