I will never forget the moment I fell in love with the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The year was 1986, and 7-year-old me sat glued to the television watching eight superheroes tomahawk, windmill, and reverse dunk their way into my heart. One stood above the rest—metaphorically—and took home the beloved golden basketball trophy. That young man hoisted the trophy high above his head—his 5-foot-7-inch head. Spud Webb won the dunk contest, and I was fascinated. How could someone that short jump so high? How could the tiny Spud Webb pack such a mighty wallop in those sweet jams? I learned that day in 1986 that, like Spud Webb, sometimes small things can pack a big punch. The NLZ Electric Micromotor by NSK is the Spud Webb of electric handpiece motors. That tiny little motor offers the power you need!
Obviously, the first thing you will notice about the NLZ Electric Micromotor is its size. With a desktop footprint of just a couple of inches, it is easy to integrate it into your delivery system. Mine is set up in the corner of the bracket table, and it still allows for full use of the table. The NLZ Electric Micromotor is small, light, and discrete, making installation a breeze.
The next thing you will notice when you pick up a handpiece attached to the NLZ Electric Micromotor is the power it packs. It rocks over 4.2 Newton centimeters (N-cm) of torque. That is 120% more than the previous model. Torque is what sets electric handpieces apart from air-driven turbines. More torque means easier cutting. That might not be hugely noticeable when preparing enamel and dentin, but that torque is massively valuable when we need to cut through other things, including high-strength ceramics such as lithium disilicate and zirconia. I am honestly unsure how a dentist with an air-driven handpiece cuts through a bonded zirconia crown. For the ceramic world we work in today, an electric handpiece is a must, and the NLZ Electric Micromotor is an amazing choice.
You have two choices when it comes to the NLZ Electric Micromotor. You must choose between the original and the NLZ E. The “E” version has endodontic functionality, so if you do any endo, this is the one for you. If you don’t do endo or have a separate dedicated endo handpiece, then the regular NLZ Electric Micromotor will work.
The NLZ Electric Micromotor is powerful, efficient, and simple. Just like Spud Webb, its tiny size should not fool you. It can jam itself right into your heart.
Joshua Austin, DDS, MAGD, is a graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry, where spent five years as a member of the faculty in the department of restorative dentistry following graduation. He is a Pearls for Your Practice columnist for Dental Economics, in which he offers a fresh approach to the critique of dental products and technology in a world of commercial-driven journalism. Dr. Austin uses every product that he writes about on patients in his dental practice, and then gives an honest evaluation for readers. He lectures nationally to study clubs and dental meetings on products, dental technology, online reputation management, and social media. He maintains a full-time restorative dentistry private practice in San Antonio, Texas. You may contact Dr. Austin at [email protected].
