Noah Levine

 Labs that fabricate full-arch and other zirconia restorations.

 Whenever a case calls for milled zirconia crowns, bridges, or implant-supported restorations.

Not only does this zirconia allow full-arch restorations—including implant-supported designs—to be sintered in less than 4 hours, but multiple units can be sintered in the same fast cycle, and no base or support structures are needed during sintering, saving both time and material.

The formulation of this zirconia promises not only an efficient sintering process but also optimal physical and esthetic properties. Not just for use with full-arch cases, 3:45 is also suited for posterior crowns, which can be sintered in less than 30 minutes. It exhibits 1100 MPa of strength and 48% translucency and is available in 25-mm and 30-mm preshaded discs, with multiple shades available and more in development.

Articles

This new zirconia formulation allows full-arch restorations to be sintered in less than 4 hours.
Information provided Zubler USA

5Ws* 3:45 Zirconia

 Can you tell us what you do for dental practices?

We set [them] up with our software and sensor [DentiMax Imaging Software and Dream Sensor], or we go in with our sensor into their software, get them working with it, see how it functions, [and] make sure they’re familiar and comfortable with all that.

The fun part comes [when] we do our dial-in process. We have [them] take a couple [of] test x-rays on actual teeth. Usually, we recommend doing [them] on an employee; that way, we have time to talk and make changes. Then we find out what [they] want: [their] perfect-looking image. And then we go in with precapture filters and adjust those filters so that it’s the best diagnostic image that we can get for [them].

Can you tell me about some of the settings and controls you have to adjust the x-rays?

 In most cases, all software [can] adjust the image. After you take the x-ray, it has some type of filter: brightness/contrast tool, gamma tool, [or] something like that. We [can] adjust the capture filters with our sensor and software so that the image appears more [as] you want it right off the bat.

With our software we can adjust those same filters. We can adjust the gamma, sharpen, brightness/contrast and more. We can even adjust the level of contrast or the type of sharpen depending on how you like seeing your image. Having the ability to adjust all of these filters both pre and post capture is great because one practice my like a more black and white super sharp image whereas another might like a more mono-gray image that’s not as sharp. With our sensors, tools, and filters we have the ability to give practices and doctors the image they prefer. Another huge benefit is that we can customize the settings in each room. This is perfect for those practices that may have more than one provider. Being able to adjust the settings allows for all the providers to get an image they like seeing rather than having to see just what’s already there.

We have normalized filters, we have unsharpened filters; there’s a whole bunch of different filters we can adjust to make the image [appear] more [as] you want it.

Is there a typical x-ray look most practices are looking for?

That’s the thing I think is amazing. You can go and work with 6 doctors in [a] day. And I’ll get [an image and think] that’s the image they’re going to love because [it] looks just like the one the last doctor loved. And [the doctor will say], “No, I don’t want anything like that. I want it to be completely different.”

Most doctors tend to like the image they’re used to, what they’ve had in the past, what they’ve used for the [past] few years. So we go in and adjust based on that. But no 2 doctors like the same image. There may be some similarities, but you can show 10 doctors the same image: 5 of them will say it’s amazing, [and] 5 of them will say it’s horrible.

Image adjustments

 If they don’t all agree on the type of image they like, is there an image you know is universally what they don’t want?

We probably hear most that they don’t want a grainy image. They feel it adds in things that aren’t there. It makes it harder to see interproximal caries or decay and any other issue the teeth may have.

The second-most common thing they want to have is a good level of contrast, so they can distinguish the DEJ [dentinoenamel junction]. They can see the apex of the root very clearly, they can see caries very easily.

So those are the 2 things they want most: not to have a grainy image and to have enough contrast, because if they don’t have enough, it’s too hard to distinguish between the areas of the teeth.

Are there controls in the practice they can adjust themselves, or is it something they should set up initially and then continue to shoot with the same settings every time?

[For] the settings we adjust, usually once we have them set up, you just keep moving forward [and] you don’t look back; you’ll just continue getting the same good image as long as [practice staff are] being consistent.

Exposure time plays a big factor, and the technique of the staff, plus how far away [or] close to the face, [whether] they’re lining up their shots properly. All that goes into what causes the image to look good or bad.

When they slow down and take their time, they should get a consistent image with the settings we lock in, once we get them dialed in.

 What does that dial-in process look like?

Again, that can depend on the doctor. Different specialties like different features on an image. An endodontist [is] going to like a sharp image in most cases, because that allows them to see the apex and all the areas of the teeth they specialize in.

When you start taking x-rays, you get used to reading a specific style or look of x-rays. When you switch to a new sensor, you want it to be better, similar to what you’re used to, or a mix between the 2. Doctors just want a great image that is familiar to them, better than what they have and/or easier to diagnose with. With our sensor, we do this daily.

If someone adds a DentiMax sensor to their practice not as a replacement but as an extra sensor, are you able to dial in that sensor to mimic the other sensor the practice is using?

 All sensors take different images. They have different components, products, filters, things like that. But we have made integrations that allow [them] to be very, very close. [Many] doctors can’t tell the difference between the 2 images, but we can usually tell the difference.

Most software automatically applies a filter after you capture. If you were to look at [an] x-ray with the sensor and what it captured before [the] filter was added, you’d probably be surprised at [the x-ray] before [the] filter. Most offices use filters; a lot of filters make the image, to my eye, much more pleasant [and] readable.

Again, that is a complete preference based on what you’re used to. But I recommend that doctors play with filters [and] see what helps them diagnose better. Because the more they’re diagnosing, the better they’re going to do.

Are there specific filters you find doctors [use] more than others?

The one we see most often is the brightness/contrast filter. Hygienists use it to adjust the image to help diagnose. Doctors use it to adjust the image to diagnose. It changes how light or dark the image is and add more or less contrast to help see the different parts of the teeth which can help with seeing things such as interproximal caries.

It also helps if you’re not sure [about] something. A lot of times caries will stay a darker color no matter [how] you adjust that brightness/contrast tool. It helps reiterate that caries [are] right there.

Can you see different things in a darker or lighter x-ray image?

From my experience, hygienists usually like the image a little lighter, doctors usually like them a little bit darker, [with] some variation.

But the problem with an image that is too dark is that it can introduce the effects of burnout even if the image isn’t overexposed. Super dark images start to almost eat away part of the image causing areas of the tooth or teeth to not be visible in the image. You may not be able to see caries because the image is so dark that it’s hidden behind some of that shadowing. So those are the downfalls of going too dark.

But when you’re darker, your pulp chambers usually pop more, allowing you to see the apex easier. You can see the apex of the root visibly because the image is darker.

When they’re too light, you might not see caries because it’s so washed out that there are no distinguishing features of the tooth, [and] you can’t see the DEJ clearly. You can’t determine what the different colors of each part of the tooth are.

How does communication with a practice go? I imagine most doctors don’t know how to ask for what they want in an image, so how do you work with them to get that image?

Sometimes it’s a guessing game. We’ll hear the word sharpen, and my definition of a sharper image would mean the lines are crisp, they’re sharp, they’re hard edge. But somebody else may be using the word sharp, [and] they want more of a contrast: more colors, brighter colors, more defined colors, things like that. But we usually ask questions.

We usually start the call by having them show us what they like [and] what they want to see. And that allows us to try and understand some of their verbiage or terminology a little better, so when we [ask] how they want their image, it makes it easier for us to understand them. And if we don’t understand, we’ll adjust.

We [can] show them what we think they mean. And if that’s not [it], we can undo and change to whatever they do mean. We like to have them show us what they like or dislike. In some cases, it didn’t have anything they may like, and tell us why they like it. And then we’ll do our best to either mimic that image as close as possible or [get] something better. I love to see how much better I can make their image.

DentiMax IT Specialist Micah Huish explains how he sets up dental practices for imaging success, ensuring their radiographs look exactly the way they prefer.

Focusing on Ideal Digital X-Rays

Each year, a select panel of dental technology experts gather to discuss the state of dental technology and debate which products deserve to be recognized as the best.

The panel consists of the editors of leading dental publications and recognized speakers and experts in the many areas of technology in dentistry.

Instead of trying to determine which products are the tops of their individual categories, this panel seeks to identify the products that are breaking new ground and expanding the possibilities within the world of dentistry. There is no minimum nor maximum number of awards to hand out, but after a lengthy dialogue, the products with the biggest potential to enhance both dental patient care and dental practice operations are named recipients of the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award.

AIRFLOW® Prophylaxis Master

Amplify

ChairsideCAD

CS 9600

DentalMonitoring / ScanBox pro

DTX Studio™ Suite

Excelsior

EyeSpecial

FirstPlug®

i700

Infinix™

MiniBio Auto Reader

Nova

Pro S

RE-GEN™ Universal Adhesive

Remote Monitoring / The Grin Scope®

Second Opinion

TRIOS 4

YAPI

YOMI®

The Panel

2022 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Awards

Presenting the Dental Product Innovations Named Winners of the 2022 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award.

The Standout Dental Technologies Of 2022

Dentists and hygienists do a lot to care for the oral health of their patients, but the real work of maintaining a healthy oral environment needs to be done at home between visits.

The basic protocols for caring for teeth and gums are well established, but choosing the best toothbrush, toothpaste, and other over the counter (OTC) home care products can be daunting for patients. In every category of home oral care product there are numerous brands, and many of those brands offer multiple options from which patients must choose.

As trusted oral health professionals, dentists and hygienists are often relied upon to provide guidance in this area. Knowing what type of toothbrush, floss, or mouthwash is best for each individual is important, and a good recommendation from a dentist or hygienist can provide the right motivation to get a patient more engaged with maintaining his or her oral health.

® is currently conducting the 3rd annual OTC Products Survey where we're asking dental professionals to share which brands of direct-to-consumer oral care products they most often recommend to patients. 

The survey includes more than a dozen categories of OTC products including several categories debuting in 2022 including night guards and sports mouthguards. To further enhance the value of participating in this survey, everyone who completes it will be entered to win a $250 Visa gift card.

Results are scheduled to be revealed in early December, but voting ends at the end of August, so don't wait to share your opinions and vote for the products you most often recommend to your patients.

Share your opinions about which over the counter oral care products are best for your patients and you could win a $250 gift card.

What OTC Dental Products Do You Recommend to Your Patients?

The work performed in dental labs can be described in many ways. Sculpture, design, engineering, production, fabrication, modeling, artistic expression, prototyping, painting, molding, and assembling are all fitting terms to cover at least some of the work being performed by dental technicians. The common factor in all these situations, like all creative situations, is the need for a medium to work with—a material.

A lot is expected from the materials used in dentistry. These materials are generally being used to stand in for all or part of a tooth, which means they must be strong yet relatively easy to shape into custom forms with minute details. Long-term durability is another key, as the final products from a dental lab must both fit and function in the oral cavity, which can be a harsh environment.

But replacing a tooth isn’t just about fit and function; these materials also must be made to look like the tooth they are replacing in many specific ways. Teeth are full of nuances and variations in shade, translucency, and surface texture, so dental lab materials must also be capable of mimicking these details and retaining that esthetic appearance over time.

This is a lot to ask of any 1 material, and it’s still quite a challenge to do with multiple materials that work together. For this reason, dental lab technicians are always on the lookout for new material options to try, and dental materials manufacturers are constantly producing new formulations and combinations to create a dizzying array of options in both types of materials and different versions of material types.

It’s a never-ending search for the perfect material, and the effort requires an ongoing education in the chemistry and physics behind the properties of each material option. That scientific foundation allows for constant experimentation and fine-tuning of workflows and processes in the search of the best possible restorative and esthetic outcomes. The decisions lab technicians make about the materials they choose are among the most important they face day in and day out.

® Materials Survey, here is a look at some of the ways dental lab technicians view the materials they choose to work with.

The 2022 Dental Lab Products® Materials Survey

A look at dental lab material trends, with the results of the 2022 Dental Lab Products® Materials Survey.

Making Sense of Dental Lab Material Matters

Dentistry is truly a materials industry. The industry is always looking for new material options that can provide the ideal combination of strength, shade, translucency, and durability to stand in for a natural tooth. This often comes down to a balance between strength and esthetics, even as the latest materials are closer than ever to replicating the physical properties of a tooth.

However, dentistry is not a huge industry by itself, and therefore many of the materials used in dental practices and labs were not developed specifically for dental use. In most cases, these raw materials are widely used in other industries—often in wildly different ways—to produce very different types of products. Here’s a look at how everyday dental materials are used in other industries.

As the dominant choice for indirect fixed restorations, zirconia is a great material for dental purposes because of its relatively low cost, high strength, ideal biocompatibility, and esthetic potential. But the material is also a key resource for a range of other industries. Because of its strength, temperature stability, and resistance to corrosion, the material is used for making refractory products, electronics, fuel cells, paints and tints, and it is used in engines for both cars and planes. Another common use of zirconia is in jewelry, which takes advantage of the material’s diamondlike appearance when it’s in its cubic formulation.

As a popular option for indirect dental restorations, glass ceramics, such as lithium disilicate and lithium silicate, are another material that offers a combination of strength and esthetics for the use of replacing natural teeth. Although the lithium used in these materials is also a key component of batteries, glass ceramics require lithium in a fine-grain size. Other industries using these glass ceramics include all types of glass, including fiberglass and high-temperature cooking dishes, as well as a range of ceramics and coatings for ceramic cooking dishes. Another use for these materials is manufacturing induction cooktops.

Commonly used for temporary restorations, among other things, PMMA materials also have a wide range of uses in other industries. The material can be formulated as a transparent glass substitute under brand names, such as PLEXIGLASS and Lucite, and used to make fish tanks, protective barriers, and other nonglass windows. Additionally, the material is used to make glasses lenses, contact lenses, and intraocular lenses. It can also be used to make furniture, acrylic paints, toys, and much more.

Bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA):

As 1 of the 2 main components of most dental composite resins, this material is most often used in the dental industry because of its ability to be polymerized to fit and adhere to almost any shape. Still, Bis-GMA is used elsewhere, including as an ingredient in paints and in several industrial processes.

The other main component of many direct dental restorative materials, silica is a naturally occurring silicon oxide that is often found in quartz. In dentistry, it is often a filler in resin materials. As a key ingredient in glass and cement, silica is most commonly used in construction. The material is also used in the production of some cosmetics because of its light-diffusing properties. In food production, silica can be added as an anticaking agent, and the material is also a key component in the creation of semiconductors.

A look at how some commonly used dental materials are put to work in other businesses.

How Dental Materials Get Used By Other Industries 

Noah Levine: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted 3D printing in dentistry?

The evolution or the digitization of the dental industry has not stopped. In a certain way, COVID-19 accelerated that, because people started saying, “Let’s not send models and practical stuff around from door to door. Let’s start sending files.” So that helped people get a little more interested in this.

NL: How much future dental lab production will feature 3D printing?

It’s going [be] a big part of it—not 100%, because there’s always going to be the manual work of finishing and maybe some postprocessing. Although we’re also looking into how we can make that more user-friendly. It’s [definitely] going to take [most of] the parts in dental labs.

NL: How is the status of 3D printing in dental labs different from the status of printing in clinics?

 There are a couple things that still need to be changed or adopted. Lab technicians already are 1 step ahead, but to a degree, they still have the fear of the unknown and the idea that digital is difficult, so we [must] make sure they get the right information and make more training available to them.

We see similar things in the clinics, but they’re 1 step behind. In this case, they are almost over enthusiastic. They think of 3D printing as, “I scan it, I print it, and it’s done.” We need to help get them out of that feeling and say, “Yes, that’s true in a sense, but we’re not there yet. You still need to do some designing of the files, then send it to the printer, then postprocess and postcure it.”

There are a lot of manual interactions they tend to forget, so that is something we need to explain to them bit by bit, because then they will come into the phase where the lab technicians are today—the fear of the unknown and thinking it is always going to be difficult. And now we can go back to the training and say it’s not that difficult. But first, it’s not as easy as you expect today.

NL: Will 3D printing end up being primarily used in labs or clinics?

The recently launched DMP Flex 200 brings metal printing to new labs, as this system is capable of quickly producing parts from CoCr and titanium.

There’s a place for 3D printing on all levels. For the smaller parts, [such as] a permanent crown or a veneer, that is an ideal printing workflow you could do chairside. It’s 1 visit—you scan it, you print it, you postprocess, cure it, and you place it. The labs will have bigger works, and at larger manufacturing sites, you can have the metal printing, for instance, but there’s a place for the printer on the clinic side.

NL: How is the growth of group dental practices impacting the use of 3D printers?

They have the advantage of numbers. You don’t buy a printer for 1 print a day; you buy for the routine [and] to continuously start printing and using it. If you have a group practice where you have more patients, of course, it can be more useful to have a printer. For a group practice, consistent workflows become more important. It’s not only about the printer—it’s about the scanner, the software, [and] the materials. It is the integration of the workflow that is important. And they can benefit from that.

NL: What are some of the hurdles that both the technology and the materials of 3D printing need to overcome to be more widely adopted throughout the dental industry?

There is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to ease of use, especially when you look at what still needs to be done after the scan is completed. You still need to design the restoration, and making the software even easier to use is becoming very important. With our software, we tap into [artificial intelligence] to make it more user-friendly.

Of course, on the material side, we are very open and honest that the denture material out there today…is not yet up to the standard of what the current analog systems can provide. But the color is almost there, [and] the translucency and strength are also getting closer.

On the fixed side, we’re improving with the new CROWNTEC permanent crown material. It’s stronger and it has improved color, but it’s not yet on the same level as traditional ceramics. So, there is still a lot of room for improvement in that side, as well.

NL: Can you tell us a bit more about CROWNTEC?

Dental devices made with CROWNTEC and the NextDent 5100 digital dentistry solution are 30% stronger than those made using previous generation resins.

Well, the biggest step forward in 3D printing is that it’s not temporary. This is something that can last a long time. The material is harder, more translucent, [it fits] better, and patients feel good about the results, so that’s what it’s all about. Because in the end, it’s about esthetics, comfort, better patient outcomes, and that is basically what this material is doing.

 I think it is different applications. Everybody is looking into the orthodontic space, how we can improve there—especially on the workflows—how to make it user-friendly, and maybe even go into direct printing. Of course, denture material will likely become more comfortable for the patient.

With direct materials, we made a big step ahead with CROWNTEC, but it’s not there yet. The challenge is how [to] come closer to zirconia, or even start printing zirconia. So, it’s more and more applications and broader use, in general. That’s the exciting part.

NL: What role does 3D Systems want to play in the future of 3D printing technology?

We always want to be on the forefront. When 3D printing was born, 3D Systems was there. That’s the motivation to keep going. It’s a challenge, but I think we live up to it.

We just launched the DMP Flex 200 metal printer in February, and I underestimated the attention it would get from the market. Of course, we are also investigating a lot with biotech printing, and with the recent investment in Kumovis, we are also working with PEEK printing.

So, [3D printing is changing a lot], not only material-wise but also platform-wise. [Of course], there are many things ongoing, [and] lots of them are still behind closed doors, but you definitely need to keep an eye open. Innovation is not on hold at 3D Systems.

I think milling will become [more and more] obsolete because it’s a proven process, but there is a lot of waste, time, and cost to it. More and more 3D printers are in the position to take over what a mill is doing today.

If you look at the broader picture of 3D printing in an industry, it will never take over 100%. There’s always going to be some limitation. In the future, limitations will [most likely] be more on the cost side. But dental is an ideal market for 3D printing. There are 9 billion people out there, and there are 9 billion different dentures out there. So, it’s unique every time, and when you need to produce a lot of unique pieces, that is what a 3D printer does best.

We see big differences between regions in terms of how fast this evolution and the introduction of digital is happening. That’s very exciting to see, and we try to take what we can learn from one region to see [whether] we can use that in another region.

For the future, from my point of view, materials are where the innovation lies. Bringing the digitization further into dentistry by supporting them with marketing and training will continue to be important, because the pie is still a lot bigger on the analog side.

We still have a lot of potential to assist dental professionals in providing a better patient outcome. That’s why we’re in it. 

Stef Vanneste, vice president and general manager, dental at 3D Systems, speaks with Noah Levine, editorial director of Dental Lab Products®, about what’s next for additive manufacturing technologies and materials. 

Building the Next Phase of Dental  3D Printing

With the recent announcement that the company had purchased teledentistry platform Toothpic, quip is taking concrete steps to bridge the gap between providers and patients. This addition of teledentistry services represents the next step in the company’s vision of creating a network of patients who have all the tools and resources they need to work with their dentist to maintain the best oral health possible.

To learn more about this vision, Dental Products Report Editorial Director Noah Levine spoke with quip Co-Founder and CEO Simon Enever. Here is that discussion.

Can you tell us about quip and the original vision you had when you created quip?

The idea for quip came about after a dental visit I had back in 2012. So, the vision has been around for a long time. What got me excited about entering the industry, and bringing my skill set from my former life as an industrial designer, was honestly the fact that it was about more than 

Personal care is one of the most critical parts of maintaining good oral health. Brushing your teeth well—two minutes, twice a day—flossing, rinsing, and all of the above. However, the provider side is also critical, meaning regularly checking up with a trained professional to look inside your mouth and catch issues early, and of course, fix things if needed. I left that visit wanting to build what was the first, 360º oral care platform to connect at-home care with in-practice professional care.

When I continued to ask dentists why patients don’t do things such as brushing regularly or visiting a professional, the first big insight I had was that people just don't enjoy it. It's a chore at best, and it’s a phobia for many. Realizing this, I knew there was one core thing we could and needed to do, which was to help people better engage and invest in their oral care. We realized that it was going to be very difficult to jump to the most challenging part of an individual’s oral care routine, which is visiting the dentist and a better route was to start with the thing that everyone does: using a toothbrush twice every day, (hopefully!). So, we deliberately started with personal care, and then have begun to gradually layer in additional professional features over time to bring our larger vision to life.

Can you tell me a little bit about what made quip’s recent acquisition of teledentistry platform Toothpic a good fit to keep your vision growing?

 Our acquisition of Toothpic is a huge part of how we're going to accelerate into the next phase of our vision. We have done well establishing ourselves to our customers, and we’re doing the same on the professional side, but we see this as the companion platform that connects the dots between at-home care and professional care. We believe in improving both, and teledentistry is the literal digital connection between the consumer and the provider. 

Moreover, I think people think of teledentistry as simply “I can hop on a video call” or “I can have a chat with a dentist”. While that is one part of it, what it really is, is the provision of care from a provider using digital means, and there are many more ways it can come to life. For example, you can regularly and proactively take a photo of your mouth for review by a clinician, and they will send you a detailed report of how your mouth health is changing over time, from the comfort of your own home, helping to catch issues early and hopefully prevent the need for certain avoidable treatments. This is such a critical stepping stone that we can introduce to our millions of members who use our app and our website. Our membership base is highly engaged and they’re regularly in touch with us, whether that be through brush subscriptions, using the app for rewards, points, and habit tracking, and now there is a new way to interact with a professional that can be a stepping stone to create a better bond between you and your dentist.

How do you envision the typical patient experience with your teledentistry platform?

There's two primary routes that you can take. Number one is photo based – you simply use your smartphone camera, take the requested snaps of your teeth, and those pictures are sent to a dentist in your area. From there, your photos are assessed, and you'll get a report sent back to you. The dentist will tag your photos, describe any potential issues and share recommended treatments, so you can take action accordingly. This might include recommendations on a product to use, changes to some of your oral care habits, or a recommendation to book an in person visit to a provider near you.

The second path is very similar, but it is video based, so you can jump on a video call at any time. The service is available 24 hours, seven days a week. This is mostly used for emergency situations right now, so it is often a digital triage for upcoming in-person care. However, our members are so used to regular routines and regular engagements – there is a cadence to how you should be doing certain activities like changing your brush head or flossing your teeth. So, one of our immediate goals is to motivate our members to use teledentistry for prevention, rather than in a case of emergency. Our goal is to integrate this idea of preventative teledentistry into the core of everything that people are already doing on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly basis. We want to get as many people as possible, hopefully, millions of people, regularly, participating in preventative, teledental checkups.

 How do existing dental practices and dental groups make sure that they can engage with this engaged group of quip users?

A practice can proactively enter this space, and not only receive teledental visits from potential new patients in their area but make teledentistry available to their existing patients. What quip is trying to bring to the professional industry is what we built on the patient side. We are trying to build a community – everything that we're now doing is about bringing professional services to our patient community of millions of people and bringing these millions of people to providers. The second phase of what we want to bring to dental professionals that engage in this platform is to enable enhanced care through a proactive and ongoing conversation between patients and providers with more data about what happens in between in-person visits.

Of course, there is also the business side of this, which is being able to help providers make a business line out of regular preventative check-ups. There's a big vision behind all of this, which is that one day, perhaps we can move towards more of a value-based care model. These kinds of tools that really help the provider participate in and gain from giving regular oral care instruction is something that really excites us. And, we're very excited to start telling our story about what we're y trying to do for dental professionals.

What's next for quip, and how do you continue to build out this model you're bringing to the industry?

 We've been primarily focused on the consumer side as we've been building out this platform, and now it is coming to life a bit more visibly to the provider side. Direct to consumer online is still a huge part of our business, but one of the really exciting things has been that we've had so much success entering retail and bringing offline customers into our app and our website where we can more easily help connect them to professional services down the line.

A lot of our efforts in the second half of this year and over the last six months are around how we bring dental professionals into this platform. We’re unleashing these patient tools and working to ensure that we have a really solid professional network on the other. We hope that if we build the right products and the right platform, providers will want more and more of their patients to be engaged with this connected oral care experience.

An interview with quip Co-Founder and CEO Simon Enever about how the home care products brand got where it is today and where it plans to go.

Strengthening Connections Between Dental Patients and Providers to Improve Oral Health

Most of the instruments, technologies, tools, and materials used in the operatory are made specifically for dental use. But sometimes there are tasks that can be handled by a product that wasn’t originally created for dental professionals. With that in mind, here’s a look at 5 nondental products that can be handy to have in the operatory.

Smartphones are the Swiss Army knife of modern devices. And there are many ways to employ these pocket computers in the operatory. A smartphone can be great for accessing a quick reference online or controlling clinical technologies such as lasers or handpieces. Of course a smartphone can also be a terrific camera. However, if you are using a smartphone for clinical patient imaging, that phone should be a dedicated practice device and the images should always be managed in ways that comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Although the smartphone puts a screen at anyone’s fingertips, a larger screen can be even more useful in the operatory. Tablets and televisions can entertain and distract patients during treatment, and they also can show patients clinical imaging and other patient education resources.

The noises of dental care are one of the major factors driving patient anxieties around dental treatment. By giving patients a pair of active noise-canceling headphones you create a treatment environment that feels less chaotic and has fewer strange sounds. Whether the patient is watching TV, listening to music, or just using the noise cancellation feature, this can be a great way to help them stay relaxed during treatment. As with anything used in an operatory, it is important to sanitize headphones between patients.

There’s plenty of notation to be done during a dental appointment, although these days most documentation can be done digitally. But having a Sharpie available in an operatory drawer can be very useful. A black Sharpie with a fine tip can be used to “black out” areas of a patient’s teeth to preview what some treatments calling for removal of tooth structure will look like once completed. A Sharpie can be safely used to mark teeth and then the ink removed using alcohol and a cotton swab. Because the markers use alcohol-based ink they do not create a risk of cross-contamination between patients.1 

Commonly referred to as plumber’s or Teflon tape, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape can be found at hardware stores and is used to create a seal when connecting water pipes. However, because the material is inert, is resistant to solvents and acids, and can be sterilized in an autoclave, dentists have found numerous ways to put this material to use in the operatory. The tape can be used as a barrier to protect adjacent teeth during restorative procedures. And because it is so thin, it can even serve as a barrier to protect subgingival margins from excess cement when placing implants and crowns. The tape is also used to protect implant screw heads when a screw access channel is sealed to prevent bacterial infection. In endodontic cases where a temporary restoration must be placed, PTFE tape is a great material for sealing the access channel and protecting the tooth from infection. PTFE tape also can be used in the operatory as a spacer and to block out undercuts when capturing impressions.2

1. X marks the spot: Sharpies get thumbs-up for marking surgery sites. University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. ScienceDaily. October 22, 2008. Accessed May 3, 2022. 

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081021185211.htm

2. Sattar MM, Patel M, Alani A. Clinical applications of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape in restorative dentistry. 

. 2017;222(3):151-158. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.110

A look at some of the most useful products from the consumer products world that can be helpful in the operatory.

5 Nondental Products That Can Be Used in the Operatory

With 2 locations of her Blooming Smiles general dentistry practice in the Chicago, Illinois, area, Gabriela Duraes, DDS, MS, provides a wide range of services. A single day can include everything from doing composite restorations to placing implants to performing root canals. Dr Duraes says her goal is to provide her patients with the best comprehensive care under one roof.

Although she used electric handpieces exclusively when training to be a dentist, Dr Duraes says that since she left her residency a decade ago, she did not use an electric handpiece again until recently. In that time, she says she has grown both comfortable and confident using an air-driven handpiece.

Bien-Air’s Nova is designed to overcome the challenges of a traditional handpiece. The small head and slim handle enhance field of vision and guarantee easier access to the back of the mouth. With the Accu-Spray Quattro Mix system, it focuses 4 asymmetrical air/water sprays on the end of the bur with laser precision. Its stainless steel construction has PVD coating that is 4 times more resistant to shocks and a PVD-coated chuck that doubles the handpiece life. It is the lightest handpiece in the company’s range.

For Dr Duraes, the shift back to using an electric handpiece came from a desire for more power and consistency than she could find in an air-driven handpiece. In the past she had been wary of using electric handpieces because of their increased weight and general bulkiness. When she learned about Bien-Air’s Nova, she thought she had finally found what she was looking for.

“I was also looking for a way to reduce my procedure time without compromising my comfort,” she says. “After searching, I realized that Nova could be what I was looking for, and I was right.”

The effects of switching to the electric Nova handpiece were immediately apparent. Dr Duraes says the handpiece felt comfortable to use right away and has been very easy on her wrist. After using the handpiece for a short time she says her 3 favorite features are its small size, light weight, and impressive power.

The small size of the handpiece’s head and neck surprised her, but the benefits of having such a small handpiece were evident from the moment she first used the Nova in a patient’s mouth. She says the small size allows better access to difficult areas in the oral cavity, and it also makes it easier to treat pediatric or petite adult patients.

“It gives you great access and visibility, which I have never noticed in any other handpiece,” she adds.

At first, the small size of the handpiece made Dr Duraes wonder if the system sacrificed power for size but using the Nova handpiece made it clear that this was not the case. She says it has all the power clinicians expect in an electric handpiece and provides smooth, efficient cutting. In fact, she believes the new handpiece is allowing her to reduce patient chair time while delivering top-notch care.

“Nova was able to make me a more efficient dentist,” she says. “My treatment times are shorter, and I am more productive. Nova never loses power when cutting zirconia crowns or bridges, making the removal of any restoration much faster.”

The fact that her new handpiece not only makes her work easier but enhances the patient experience is a big reason Dr Duraes is such a big fan of the Nova. Because she can see more and the handpiece offers the cutting power she needs, Dr Duraes credits the Nova with helping her cut preps faster and thus reduce the time patients need to keep their mouths open.

Another unexpected benefit from using the Nova handpiece is an increase in patient comfort, according to Dr Duraes. She says the handpiece makes less noise than her air turbine handpieces of the past, and it also doesn’t vibrate as much as some handpieces. This allows patients to feel more relaxed when they’re at her practice.

“Less noise is definitely an overall improvement noticed in my practice,” she says. “Patients’ anxiety is reduced with less noise and vibration also.”

Dr Duraes says she can’t imagine replacing it with anything else any time soon. Although the industry has yet to see the first silent dental handpiece, Dr Duraes says even that innovation might not be enough to get her to move away from the Nova.

“The only way for me to consider a change would be the invention of a handpiece with no noise at all, and even in this hypothetical situation if the handpiece is bulkier and heavier, I would still stick with my Nova,” she says.

Why Illinois dentist Gabriela Duraes, DDS, MS, adopted Bien-Air’s Nova handpiece and why she can’t see herself switching anytime soon.