What are biological indicators used for in dental sterilization?

Biological indicators are specifically designed to monitor the effectiveness of sterilization processes in dental settings. They typically contain bacterial spores that are known to be highly resistant to the sterilization methods being employed, such as steam or dry heat. After a sterilization cycle, these indicators are incubated to see if any spores survive. If the spores are killed during the sterilization process, it indicates that the sterilization was effective. This is crucial in ensuring that instruments and materials are free from viable microorganisms before being used on patients.

The other options pertain to different types of testing. Testing pH levels is important for evaluating the acidic or alkaline nature of certain substances, yet it does not provide information about sterilization efficacy. Measuring temperature can be essential for ensuring that a sterilizer is operating within the correct temperature range, but it does not confirm that sterilization has occurred. Similarly, assessing chemical composition is not related to determining the effectiveness of a sterilization process. These measures might be part of broader quality control but do not specifically monitor the biological safety of dental instruments.