By Kevin Henry ([email protected])
Managing Editor, Dental Economics
The Chicago Midwinter Meeting has become THE meeting where companies introduce their new products. As I walked the exhibit hall floor and sat in on press conferences, it became clear that some products introduced in Chicago will soon be making their way into your dental practices. Following are some of the top new products I saw in the Windy City.
New CEREC software with Biogeneric technology from Sirona – One of the biggest “wow” moments for me at the show came at the Sirona booth. The company has introduced user-friendly software developed for its CEREC® chairside system, based on Sirona’s patented Biogeneric technology. The Biogeneric design feature will replace the “dental database” feature in previous CEREC software versions. It’s now possible to easily create crowns, veneers, and anatomically sized bridges. The user will simply require an intact reference tooth of the similar type – i.e., anterior or posterior. The time-consuming process of selecting tooth morphology from dental databases has been virtually eliminated. Moreover, due to the standardized and largely automated routines, the software is easy to learn and use. Users can shave an estimated 10 to 15 minutes off each CAD/CAM procedure with the new software, meaning more productivity in the office. Nice job, Sirona. For more information, visit www.cereconline.com.
Tuff-Temp Provisional Veneer, Crown & Bridge Resin from Pulpdent Corporation – This new rubberized-urethane provisional material caught my eye, and Pulpdent says it has advantages over acrylics and bis-acrylics. Claiming it's the first innovation in temporary materials in almost two decades, the proprietary chemistry, available only from Pulpdent, provides greater strength and dimensional stability, and a tighter fitting provisional restoration. With Pulpdent Tuff-Temp Resin, temporaries are tough, impact-resistant, and grip the teeth. Chipping, breaking, debonding, and recementations are minimized or eliminated. Tuff-Temp is dual cure. It both self-cures and has a light cure option to produce a final set, full strength restoration on demand. The fast light cure option is also ideal for use with a clear vinyl polysiloxane template. Tuff-Temp is packaged in a 50 mL automix cartridge that fits into a standard one-to-one gun used for impression materials. It is available in six popular shades: A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B1 and Bleach. For more information, visit www.pulpdent.com.
Filtek™ Supreme Ultra Universal Restorative from 3M ESPE – The innovators from St. Paul believe that everyone has a shade, and they’re out to help dentists help their patients find that shade with the latest innovation in the Filtek™ line of restoratives. With the same excellent physical properties of Filtek™ Supreme Plus Universal Restorative, the latest offering now brings an expanded range of body shades. This delivers more universal options for creating easy, natural-looking, one-shade restorations while maintaining the composite’s versatility for dual or multi-layering techniques. Some of the benefits include improved handling of translucent shades, as well as increased fluorescence and better polish retention with dentin, enamel, and body opacities. Beyond the product attributes, additional simplification is seen in the form of new, bold labeling and color-coded opacities, which simplify the shade selection process. Additionally, translucent shades are now available in capsule delivery. Supreme Plus will be replaced by Supreme Ultra, so look for that change soon. For more information, visit www.3MESPE.com or www.everyonehasashade.com.
Vantage from Progeny, a Midmark company – This new panoramic machine is for those of us who are very used to the touch screen technology found on phone and MP3 players. The company calls it VantageTouch technology, but it’s a unique intuitive touch screen that can access every function. A three-motor rotation ensures top-notch image quality, and pre-programmed parameters for patient height and face shape help make sure using Vantage is truly an ad-vantage for dental practices. For more information, visit www.progenydental.com.
Straumann Digital Solutions – It used to be that to do an implant, you had to piece together different parts of the digital workflow to make it happen. Well not any more. Under the new umbrella of “Straumann Digital Solutions,” the company can now offer state-of-the-art computer-guided surgery, intraoral scanning, and CAD/CAM prosthetics to any dental practice. A complete Straumann tooth – from implant to final crown – is now available from a single provider, eliminating confusion and wasted time for the dentist. Straumann has also established a relationship with Cadent’s iTero, meaning the Straumann CAD/CAM service is now connected with the iTero intraoral scanning system. For more information, visit www.straumann.com.
NatureZone UV/Ozone Purification Chamber – Let’s be honest … some of the nastiest bacteria around can be found on mouthguards, dentures, and retainers. Well, here’s a way to get rid of those gross bugs. By using a combination of ultraviolet light and ozone ions, the portable chamber disinfects, sanitizes, and deodorizes a variety of removable oral appliances in a three-minute cycle. It’s 99.9% effective on staph, MRSA, salmonella, strep, and E. coli. No tablets, liquids, or chemicals are needed. It’s distributed exclusively through Henry Schein, so for more information log on to www.henryscheindental.com.
Dr. John’s Candies – New product releases at dental shows usually focus on materials or equipment. With Dr. John’s Candies, the news is a little sweeter. While most dentists may tell their patients to avoid sweets, Dr. John Bruinsma encourages them to enjoy several of his SimplyXylitol sweets every day. These candies are specifically prepared with xylitol as a main component, and xylitol has been proven to break down harmful oral bacteria and prevent cavities. While you might’ve had xylitol in gums or mints before, Dr. John’s takes it a step further by rolling out xylitol in lollipops, chocolate, caramels, and even drinks. Best of all, the taste is great (OK, OK, I had to sample just a little, right?). For more information, log on to www.drjohns.com.
NuCalm from Solace Solutions – One of the most unique experiences I had during the Midwinter Meeting was trying this product. NuCalm is a proprietary clinical system that organically calms the brain within minutes. We all know the problems that dental anxiety can cause in the office and in the minds of patients. This product relieves anxiety without using narcotics or controlled substances, causes no side effects, and requires no recuperation time. NuCalm leverages the synergistic benefits of four sensory applications: brain nutrients, FDA-cleared cranial electrotherapy stimulation to open the brain’s receptors, NeuroAcoustic™ binaural beat software, and black-out glasses. Also, the patient walks away feeling great. My experience? It was like a quick trip to the spa. For more information, log on to www.solacesolutions.com.
