Let’s be honest; between back-to-back patients, sterilization, charting, and everything else that fills a hygienist’s day, sharpening instruments often gets bumped to the bottom of the list. Most of us plan to do it “when there’s time,” which usually means… it doesn’t happen.
And when we do try, flat stones and some DIY guides can feel more like guesswork than anything precise. Trying to maintain the beautiful original curvature of scalers and curettes while avoiding overly straightened ends can be frustrating. Before long, you end up with a drawer full of mystery-sharp instruments, sore hands, and appointments that take more effort for you and your patients.
Why Sharp Instruments Matter
Sharp instruments aren’t a luxury item, they’re essential. A dull blade forces you to add extra lateral pressure, which increases fatigue, reduces tactile sensitivity, and leaves burnished calculus behind. Over time, that can mean longer appointments, more strain on your hands and wrists, and a bigger chance your patients will feel uncomfortable or need more aggressive treatment later.
The Problem with Traditional Sharpening Methods
Traditional stones expect clinicians to maintain the perfect angle by eye. This is a big ask when you’re squeezing sharpening into the few quiet minutes you have. Lighting varies, workflows get interrupted, and even if you’re highly skilled, sharpening this way is slow and easy to postpone.
Plus, even tiny shifts in angulation build up over time, slowly changing the intended design of the blade. Angle-controlled devices can help, but many are made for straight cutting edges and don’t follow the natural curve of Gracey curettes or other more complex designs. It’s no wonder sharpening feels harder than it should.
How LM-RondoPlus Changes the Game
The LM-RondoPlus gives you a quick, consistent way to keep instruments sharp, without sacrificing their original form. Its low-speed motor rotates a 360° ceramic stone inside a casing that turns with you, so the blade naturally follows its own curvature along straight or convex cutting edges. You won’t need to force curved instruments into straight-line sharpening motions.
With two rest positions (lower for periodontal instruments, upper for preparation instruments) you get accurate angulation for almost any stainless-steel instrument with virtually no setup. And the best part? It’s refreshingly simple. Just place the instrument on the correct rest, tap the rocker switch or foot pedal to spin the stone, and you’re sharpening in seconds. The controlled low speed keeps heat and metal loss to a minimum, so your instruments stay stronger and last longer.
The LM-RondoPlus works for right-handed and left-handed clinicians alike, and every unit comes with LM-Fingo test sticks so you can check sharpness instantly. Dull, misshapen, or “creatively angled” instruments don’t have to be part of the job anymore.
Written by: Beth Parkes, RDH, BSc,
Manager of Clinical Affairs
beth@curion.ca