When working with a patient, the last thing a dentist or dental hygienist should worry about is the saliva ejector. But if a lever gets bumped, an adapter is dropped, or a straw pops out of place, time and focus are drawn away from the patient to fix the issue.

SecureTip is a manufacturer of disposable, locking saliva ejectors. One of the company’s designs uses a threaded straw that screws into the ejector adapter, rather than using friction for insertion and ejection. This design, however, had inconsistencies in straw fit and the lever to control suction was loose.

To redesign its adapter, SecureTip turned to Specialty Dental, a division of The Specialty Mfg. Co. formerly known as Marr Valve Company, for its expertise in precision-machined valves and components for the dental industry.

The Specialty Dental engineering team chose a design from its adapter line that could be customized to accommodate SecureTip’s unique threaded straw tip. This threading was paramount to a well-fitting and smooth connection of straw and adapter.

The adapter’s threads are perfectly aligned with the straw, so clinicians can easily attach the two in a matter of moments. The tight tolerance of the valve helps hold the vacuum that’s required for sanitary saliva ejection.

The adapter is built from anodized aluminum to seal pores so the device can stand up to autoclaves while maintaining its lightweight sturdiness. Curving the on/off lever around the adapter body eliminates the chance it can be bumped out of place. The lever controls the suction and flow with an internal spool, while two Viton O-rings offer a tight, no-leak seal.

The Specialty Mfg. Co.
specialtymfg.com/dental