What a difference 3° makes

Joseph Blaes, DDS

Pearl 1 — GENTLEforce™ LUX 6000B from KaVo America. Another new high-speed handpiece? Who needs it? There is already enough confusion about handpieces out there. But this one is different!

Pearl 1

I have been using this handpiece for about six weeks and have found it to be an excellent choice. GENTLEforce has power — good torque to cut your preps easily and quickly. This is a completely redesigned handpiece that I first saw almost two years ago at the IDS meeting in Cologne, Germany. I was impressed with it then, and I am even more impressed now that I have used it.

KaVo's redesign focused on the size of the handpiece head and its angle relative to the handpiece. The result is a small head with multiple spray ports. It offers better access to all parts of the mouth, particularly the second- and third-molar areas. It also is easier to use with children and patients with limited opening problems. GENTLEforce provides easy access in all of these situations. The angle of the head has been changed by three degrees, giving you greater freedom of movement in the mouth. You will find that other teeth do not impede your position of this handpiece. It is amazing how such a small change can have so much impact.

GENTLEforce has good balance and its new material offers an easy grip that is simple to keep clean. There's no more scrubbing; just wipe it clean. The handpiece features a built-in micro filter in the spray water channel to keep the small particles from reaching the spray head. GENTLEforce is a durable, quiet handpiece that is backed by an 18-month warranty.

To order, call your dealer or visit www.kavousa.com for more information.

Pearl 2

Pearl 2 — IPS d.SIGN® from Ivoclar Vivadent. This is important news for users of porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations. During my recent visit to Ivoclar Vivadent's Amherst, N.Y., headquarters, I was introduced to IPS d.SIGN. I learned about the tremendous amount of research that has been done to validate this new product.

Ivoclar Vivadent has produced a new, revolutionary material specifically designed to achieve the ultimate combination of bright colors and high translucency in PFM crowns and bridges. Since most of us do not follow the preparation guidelines for removing tooth structure, laboratory technicians often have a difficult time matching shades on PFM crowns. Think about it this way: If you remove 1 mm of tooth structure when prepping for a PFM, the casting will take up 0.5 mm of space and the opaque will take up 0.2 mm, leaving only 0.3 mm for the stacked porcelain to give you the shade you have requested. This has been extremely hard given the limitations of traditional feldspathic porcelain.

Enter IPS d.SIGN, a patented, new "Flourapatite-Leucite Glass-Ceramic" with matching alloys. The Flourapatite crystals scatter light in such a way that the lab technician can build in a significant amount of translucency without losing the value.

Conventional opacifying agents greatly reduce the vitality of the porcelain that is built on top of it. With IPS d.SIGN, your lab tech will be able to create a tremendous amount of light refraction and reflection without the use of opaque materials, which will give the ceramic its beautiful vitality.

There is more good news — IPS d.SIGN offers superior wear characteristics similar to enamel. The result is that IPS d.SIGN does not wear opposing enamel. In my practice, with proper tooth reduction and ceramic shoulder margins, the results have been outstanding. On your next PFM case, tell your lab that you want IPS d.SIGN. You will love the results.

Visit www.dsignlabs.com for more information.

Pearl 3 — VibraJect® from ITL Dental. If you saw this product on the exhibit floor at a meeting, you probably would walk right by and not even give it a second look. In the case of VibraJect, that would be a mistake.

According to the manufacturer, the VibraJect removes pain from injections based on the Gate Control Theory. A battery-operated motor is attached to a conventional syringe, causing the needle to vibrate. This high vibration stimulates the nerve endings and blocks the transmission of pain sensations to the brain. Sounds like a lot of hype, right? Wrong! It really works.

We all have two classes of patients:
1Those with a high pain threshold who do not fear injections.
2 Those with a low pain threshold who do fear injections.

This device will have no effect on the first category of patients, but your "category two" patients who fear injections will love you for using the VibraJect. It is great for children. In fact, I now use it on all of my patients. After the injection, many of them ask when I am going to give them the "shot," not realizing I already have. Give it a try; you will be amazed!

Order direct from ITL Dental by calling (800) 277-0073, email [email protected], or visit www.itldental.com for more information.

Pearl 4 — Isolite™ Dryfield Illuminator from Isolite Systems, Inc. So you don't like using the rubber dam to isolate teeth, and you don't want to buy a headlight to get better lighting in the mouth. OK ... I have the product for you!

Pearl 4

At the heart of the Isolite System is a flexible, disposable mouthpiece that illuminates, isolates, aspirates, and is a bite block all at the same time.

My initial thought when I unpacked the system was that it had a bunch of tubes and stuff to deal with. My second reaction was that the mouthpiece would gag me and my patients. But I knew that this system had been designed by a dentist (Dr. Tom Hirsch), so I had confidence that it would work.

I read the instructions and watched the video. I had my clinical assistant place the mouthpiece on me first. She was able to place it easily, and I didn't gag! The next test was on selected patients for some easy amalgam removal and replacement with occlusal composites.

The next patient case was a quadrant of onlays and inlays on the upper arch. The third test case was seating a quadrant of inlays and onlays on the lower arch. The Isolite System received rave reviews from everyone involved — me, my clinical assistant, and my patients.

Next, I put the system in my hygienist's room. She used it on a routine scaling and polishing case and was amazed at how well it illuminated the mouth and controlled the prophy jet. She did not want us to remove the system. I almost had to fight her to get it back! She suggested I order another one for my treatment room.

I cannot think of any procedure for which I would not want to use the Isolite System. I am convinced that this is a remarkable new product that solves visibility, isolation, and aspiration problems for the dental practice. I want one of these in every treatment room — mine and my hygienist's!

The Isolite mouthpiece is disposable and costs about $2 when ordered in bulk. The light intensity is variable, as well as the intensity of the aspirator. This is a no-brainer! Order the system and try it for 30 days. If you don't like it, send it back. What could be fairer than that? There is no risk involved.

Order the system direct from Isolite Systems either online at www.isolitesystems.com or call (805) 560-9888. Be sure to watch the video clips online. When you receive your system, watch the video and read the instructions that come with it. It will solve a lot of problems and make the system very easy to use.

Dr. Blaes has a general practice in the St. Louis area. He is known for his expertise in dental materials and techniques and his innovative systems designs. He writes and lectures on "How To Increase Productivity and Profitability." Dr. Blaes is a member of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration. He may be reached at [email protected].