Which method is commonly used to sterilize dental instruments?

Autoclaving is the most widely accepted method for sterilizing dental instruments because it effectively eliminates all forms of microbial life, including spores, through a combination of high-pressure steam and heat. This process typically involves placing instruments in a sealed chamber where steam is generated at temperatures usually reaching 121-134 degrees Celsius for a specified duration, which ensures thorough sterilization.

While other methods, such as alcohol soaking or UV sterilization, may have roles in disinfection or managing contamination on surfaces or equipment, they do not guarantee complete sterilization of instruments. Alcohol soaking may reduce the number of microorganisms but does not kill all spores and may not penetrate all types of materials effectively. UV sterilization can also be useful for surface disinfection but is not effective against all pathogens and cannot penetrate through materials to ensure the interior of instruments is sterile. Chemical disinfection involves using solutions to reduce the number of pathogens, but similar to alcohol, it does not achieve the absolute sterilization required for instruments used in invasive procedures. Thus, autoclaving stands out as the gold standard and most reliable method for ensuring dental instruments are completely sterilized before use.