Pearls For Your Practice

As dentists, we know the importance of proper maintenance of the equipment that we use on a day-to-day basis. Probably one of the most important items is the cleaning and lubrication of high- and slow-speed handpieces. This is critical from many aspects, including cleaning debris from the head and the internal parts of the handpiece. This is the workhorse of our equipment; everything stops when it quits working for whatever reason. In most offices, the maintenance of equipment is assigned to someone other than the dentist. Sometimes this person is not aware of the importance of the procedures necessary to maintain the dental handpieces. Many times, shortcuts are taken in order to get the instruments ready for sterilization. There is much pressure on everyone in the dental office to see that treatment rooms are readied for the next patient in a timely manner. The new Lubricare handpiece maintenance system from Bien-Air is quick, simple, and economic. It has a capacity of up to four instruments per cleaning cycle. Each instrument is cleaned for 25 seconds and then lubricated. The consumption of cleaners and lubricants is economic since the system uses just 30% or the amount used during manual cleaning and lubrication. The system features Bien-Air's two staple maintenance products: Spraynet and Lubrifluid. Each spray is specifically designed for a phase in the maintenance cycle: Spraynet for dissolving impurities and Lubrifluid for effective lubrication of instruments. An extraction system removes the oil vapors from the instruments so the handpiece will not spray oil when first used in a procedure. A collector absorbs the excess lubricant to ensure a cleaner working area and improved hygiene. A detector monitors the system and warns when the cleaner and lubricant levels are low. These Bien-Air regulated maintenance sprays support the daily use of your instruments, helping guarantee impeccable maintenance, optimal operation, and an extended service life.

To learn more, visit www.bienair.com.

Super-Snap X-Treme with Advanced 3D Technology

from Shofu.

I know that many dentists are familiar with the fine finishing and polishing devices from Shofu. Since 1922, the company has been an industry-leading manufacturer of high-quality polishers and abrasives that exceed the demands of dental and laboratory professionals around the world. The company's extensive knowledge of direct and indirect restorative materials, combined with stringent quality control standards, help ensure the optimal contouring, finishing, and polishing no matter what the material. Abrasive finishers and polishers tend to stop working when the abrasive becomes clogged with grinded waste. This means you have to change to a fresh disk. These are the same Super-Snap disks with the elastic silicone shank mount that makes for easy placement of the disk onto the mandrel. The Super-Snap is designed for easy, fast, and safe contouring, finishing, and polishing of microfilled and hybrid composites. They are manufactured without a metal center. Now the company has introduced the Super-Snap

X-Treme, the latest generation in extreme polishing that will exceed patients' expectations. This is a two-step polishing system with enhancements to the original green and red Super-Snap disks. Super-Snap X-Treme aluminum oxide disks offer extra thickness to increase stiffness and durability while maintaining flexibility in the interproximal areas. The 3-D extra coating on the red superfine disk provides semispherical shaped grits covering the surface that allow space for the grinded wastes and provides a smoother polished surface with a high gloss. They are available in two sizes, the standard 12 mm and the 8 mm mini disposable aluminum oxide disks.

Visit www.shofu.com for more information.

Opalescence® Go™ with UltraFit™ Tray

from Ultradent Products, Inc.

In my office, we are sometimes faced with resistance when we begin talking to patients about tooth whitening. Sometimes they just cannot afford it; other times, friends have told them about products sold online or at the grocery store. Now Ultradent has come up with an alternative that you can offer patients that eliminates the cost of impressions, models, and trays. I have tried this product and found this new, unique tray material offers a comfortable fit. The overall experience is excellent. This new product is designed to give offices an option for those patients who demand a more affordable, convenient, and yet professional whitening result. This is for those patients who have found that whitening strips or other products found in drug stores did not really give them the results they wanted. Opalescence Go is the professional tooth whitening alternative to over-the-counter products. This product features on-the-go convenience with the UltraFit tray's superior adaptation to ensure the maximum amount of gel stays in contact with teeth during whitening. The tray has molar-to-molar coverage, making contact with more posterior teeth. It provides safe, professional results with the Opalescence sticky, viscous gel. The 10% hydrogen peroxide concentration has wear times from 30 to 60 minutes, and the 15% hydrogen peroxide concentration has wear times from 15 to 20 minutes. Just like the company's take-home product, Opalescence Go includes PF (potassium nitrate and fluoride). Potassium nitrate has been shown to help reduce sensitivity. Fluoride has been shown to help reduce caries and strengthen enamel. Together they help to improve the overall health of the teeth. The convenient prefilled trays can be worn right out of the package, and come in delicious mint, melon, and peach flavors. The optimal quantity of gel ensures maximum results, and can easily be brushed off after whitening. The sleek, attractive packaging provides stability, shelf life, and eye-catching branding.

Visit www.ultradent.com for more information.

To have Dr. Joe Blaes present his lecture, "Pearls For Your Practice®," for your study group or dental society, please call (866) 274-4500.

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