When purchasing a Dental vacuum one must consider what size you need to make your office function properly. Vacuums start at 1 horsepower and go all the way up to 4 horsepower. One must consider how many users (hygienists and dentists) will be working on the dental vacuum system at the same time, to get the proper size required. A Dentist counts as 1, and a Hygienist counts as half a user. Size and selection of the Dental Vacuum depends where it is located (example, outside the suite or at far end of office). Both wet and dry vacuums are based on how many users and installation location.

Air Technique, Matrix, Apollo, all make dual 2 heads, or single 1 head; from 1 horsepower up to 4 horsepower. Most manufactures make the same sizes. Dental vacuums are made in both “wet”, which run on water, and “dry” that use no water. A dry vacuum would be used where a town regulates, or taxes, the use of water or if the office pays for their water on a metered system. Never put a dry vacuum outside in a warm climate because of high operating temperatures. It is best to never take a dry vacuum overhead, unless there is no other way to do it. It affects the quality of the vacuum pressure received. There would be very special instructions from the manufacture to follow when doing so.