I recently turned 43, which means I’m basically over the hill from an average life span perspective. I have been in practice for 16 years, which has felt fast—but my middle-age body is starting to feel the wear and tear. Back issues. Neck issues. Shoulder issues. They all start to add up.
One way to minimize that wear and tear is to eliminate all the extraneous movements we make during procedures. Having all of your bonding essentials literally right there on your glove can definitely eliminate that flailing around. The Microtray does exactly that.
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The Microtray is a line of disposable, adhesive, flexible trays with mixing wells, designed to give you everything you need for bonding (or fluoride varnish placement if you’re a dental hygienist) right where you need it. The Microtray has a peel and stick adhesive on its underside designed to stick on your glove on the back of your mirror hand. The Microtray R1 for restorative dentistry has two wells for different liquids in addition to a pocket to hold multiple two by two gauze and then an area to hold two applicator brushes. No matter what bonding system you use, this should give you everything you need to place a restoration right at your fingertips.
The Microtray H1 for hygiene is laid out the same way, except instead of having two separate smaller wells, it has one bigger well for application of something like fluoride varnish. The H1 might be even more valuable since many hygienists work without an assistant. If I didn’t have the Microtray R1, at least my assistant could hold the mixing wells near a patient’s mouth. My hygienists don’t have that luxury. Chests become bracket tables and things get weird quickly—the Microtray H1 keeps it from getting weird!
I have begun to think about setting up my procedures and operatories in ways that minimize stress on my and my assistant’s bodies. The Microtray R1 gives me everything I need for my adhesive procedures right on the back of my hand. I love things that make my day easier, even in small increments. That's what the Microtray R1 and H1 do.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the May 2022 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
