Which procedures require high-volume evacuation (HVE) according to safety guidelines?

Which procedures require high-volume evacuation (HVE) according to safety guidelines?

• A. Air polishing
• B. Crown/bridge prep
• C. Sealants
• D. Any aerosol-generating procedure

Answer: (D)

High-volume evacuation is used to capture aerosols and fine droplets at the source, reducing the spread of airborne contaminants during dental procedures. Any procedure that generates aerosols qualifies for deploying HVE to minimize exposure to both the patient and the clinician. Air polishing clearly produces a lot of aerosol and splatter, so HVE is appropriate. Crown and bridge preparation with a high-speed handpiece and water spray also creates substantial aerosols, making HVE important there as well. Sealants tend to involve less aerosol generation, especially if performed with minimal splatter, but the safe, comprehensive guideline is to use HVE whenever aerosols are generated. That’s why the best answer is the one that includes any aerosol-generating procedure.

High-volume evacuation is used to capture aerosols and fine droplets at the source, reducing the spread of airborne contaminants during dental procedures. Any procedure that generates aerosols qualifies for deploying HVE to minimize exposure to both the patient and the clinician.

Air polishing clearly produces a lot of aerosol and splatter, so HVE is appropriate. Crown and bridge preparation with a high-speed handpiece and water spray also creates substantial aerosols, making HVE important there as well. Sealants tend to involve less aerosol generation, especially if performed with minimal splatter, but the safe, comprehensive guideline is to use HVE whenever aerosols are generated. That’s why the best answer is the one that includes any aerosol-generating procedure.