Noah Levine

The LOCATOR Male pivots in its permanent Denture Cap for a genuine resilient connection of the prosthesis without any resulting loss of retention. The male remains in static contact with the female socket while the Denture Cap has a full range of rotational movement. The self-aligning feature of the LOCATOR Attachment allows patients to easily seat their overdentures without the need for accurate alignment, and without causing damage to the attachment components.

Protects ears from the hazardous sounds in the dental practice with a 15 decibel flat attenuation response. 15 decibel filter allows for clear, natural communication while you work so you can still hear speech.

Having a focus for the practice doesn’t have to mean going all-in on a specialty such as endodontics or oral surgery. Nor does it mean playing up cosmetics or selling take-home products, but either of those are valid choices if they are the type of dentistry you believe in. General and family practices can really stand out by just embracing the reasons they’re involved with dentistry.

While a range of new technologies are making it possible for dental labs to produce restorations with greater efficiency, not every innovation having an impact on the industry comes in the form of a system designed specifically for dental labs.

Adding a scanner creates a clear path for a dental lab to transfer existing work from a physical to a digital workflow. But the process doesn’t start by scanning the next impression to arrive. The real first step to this process is deciding what type of scanner to invest in.

Talk with implant specialists, implant manufacturers and dental labs with a focus on implant restorations and one word seems to pop up in every conversation. Get them talking about developments and advancements in the world of implants and it won’t be long before they excitedly bring up the word “predictable.”

The need to keep all our tools and machines powered up is among the downsides to this extremely connected high-tech age in which we live. Sure, the fight for power outlet access is somewhat mitigated by the ever growing number of cordless, battery-powered devices, but all of them must eventually come in for a charge. To make matters worse, they all seem to have different charging cords with proprietary connectors. So while we are free to work and play unconnected and away from the wall, when it’s time to refuel, quite often a tangle of cords awaits us at the outlet.

Square footage and a sensible arrangement of the equipment and workstations is important to creating a new dental laboratory or expanding an existing operation. However, if the space the lab wants to use doesn’t have the right infrastructure to support the lab’s expected uses, there better be a plan to install the pipes, conduits and connections, or the business will have no chance for success.

The Lab

Electronic gadgets and all manner of cutting edge technologies are embraced in Japan in a way not really equaled anywhere else around the planet. The country is known for being a few years (or sometimes decades) ahead of the planet in how they’re using their electronics, and many of the world’s leading manufacturers are Japanese companies with at least some production based in their home country.

Some years see groundbreaking technologies sweep into the market and change everything, but 2011 was not one of those years. That’s not to say there weren’t significant new gadgets and features hitting the (now mostly digital) shelves this year. However, the last 12 months have been more about shifting trends and technology platform transitions that are setting the stage for what a few years from now is likely to be a vastly different looking technological landscape.

The new Vario Press 300.e was designed for optimal efficacy when working with lithium disilicate as well as other pressable ceramics. It addresses the thermal mass variances of different investments and ceramics on the market today by maintaining proper heat distribution and controlling the uniform transfer of heat from the outside of the investment material to the inside with the aid of press, temperature and virtual sensors.

Over the past few years, using computers seems to have become a much more hands-on experience. From desktops to laptops to tablets and smartphones, touchscreen interfaces are popping up everywhere and offering us innovative and intuitive new ways to control our machines. With tapping, dragging, swiping, pinching and typing on virtual keyboards all quickly becoming familiar, the door is now open for novel approaches to computer design such as Toshiba’s laptop like no other, the libretto W100. Concept in action

Featuring the proprietary Radical Amplified Photopolymerization (RAP) Technology innovative initiator system, this universal composite features both an extended working time and a reduced curing time. Suitable for anterior and posterior restorations, as well as composite veneers, the 100% spherically filled composite has a filler weight of 82% (71% volume)

At Ziemek Aesthetic Dental Lab, technology has become a big part of the workflow and an integral aspect of the business’ operations. Lab manager Jamie Stover, CDT, said evaluating new systems to see what fits with the lab is critical to the lab’s success.

There are many reasons dental technicians and dental laboratories pursue certification, but a direct impact on the bottom line is rarely the primary motivator.

With no water there would be no dentistry as we currently know it. Even if it might be just a small spritz, water plays an important part of just about every procedure a dentist or hygienist might perform.

In the wake of the company's recently completed acquisition of iTero intraoral scanner maker Cadent, Align Technologies recently announced plans to consolidate it's CAD/CAM operations into existing facilities. This will mean the company will be closing it's Carlstadt, N.J.

Someday sunflower seeds or bubblegum might become widely viewed as the preferred chewing substances in baseball dugouts across America, but chewing tobacco remains a lingering presence in the world of baseball. This is something Oral Health America's NSTEP® (National Spit Tobacco Education Program) hopes to change, and the organization is trying to spread its message to the game's youngest players.

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention has hired its first Director of Research and Scientific Affairs. Dr. Charles John Palenik assumed the newly created position on Sept. 1, and he is tasked with advancing the research into health and safety practices for oral health professionals. Dr.

DENTSPLY International announced today that the purchase of implant maker Astra Tech had been completed. The purchase expands DENTSPLY's implant offerings and gives the company and its customers access to Astra Tech's Atlantis patient specific abutments.

In a letter from company CEO Marco Ratz, Amann Girrbach announced the hiring of former Brasseler USA VP/COO Matt Whalen as the company's new President for Amann Girrbach America. DLP certainly wishes Mr.

For the past decade Candulor has promoted the esthetic possibilities of finely crafted dentures through its biennial KunstZahnWerk, or "Art of Denture" competition which has been held in conjunction with the International Dental Show in Cologne, Germany. This spring, for the first time, North American technicians were invited to take part in the competition, and they did quite well with Jack Edwards, MDT, of Fullerton, Calif., placing 10th overall, and Andrea Hegedus, CDT, placing 2nd in the Digital Documentation category.  Now a North America-only branch of the competition is being launched with entries due this fall and awards to be presented next February at Lab day 2012 in Chicago. To keep things even, Candulor supplies the case details, models, denture teeth and implant parts. Then it's up to the technicians to show off the best of what they can do. Winners receive cash prizes and automatic entry into the 2013 international KunstZahnWerk event at the next IDS. Opportunities such as this are about more than just prizes and recognition. They show the dedication of every entrant to the art and craft of their vocation, as work on these cases are often done in whatever extra time a busy technician has. Being named the winner is of course nice, but seeing the top entries side by side also provides a great chance for technicians to evaluate subtle differences in technique and approach. Hopefully there is a rich pool of entrants who put some of the best North America has to offer on display next winter in Chicago. Contest details can be found at candulor.com or directly here. A full press release on the contest is below.