In this column, I highlight products that help me practice at the highest level. I am not paid by any of the companies I mention and all opinions are my own. Send questions or comments to rmargeas@aegiscomm.com.

Robert Margeas, DDS

Easy Pneumatic Crown & Bridge Remover II

Dent Corp

Figure 1| I’ve been using this product for almost 20 years. If I have a metal Maryland bridge I need to remove, I can remove it 100% of the time. If I have a conventional bridge, and one of the abutments is loose and the natural teeth are periodontally sound with no mobility, I can remove the bridge about 75% of the time without catastrophic failure.

With pneumatic crown and bridge removers, you have to be careful you don’t fracture a root or tooth. If the teeth are not periodontally sound, it is possible to accidentally remove a tooth.

The thing I like about this product is if I have a tight-fitting crown or temporarily cemented bridge, I can usually remove them very easily. The pneumatic control allows me to adjust how much force I want to put on the restoration. For a bridge, I usually put it under the pontic area, and I use light little taps to break the cement seal. I have never been unable to get a Maryland bridge off using this product.

Optima

Bien-Air

Figure 2 | I have been using Bien-Air handpieces since 1995, and the changes they have made over the years have been outstanding. Their Optima system includes the simple-to-use MCX motor, which doesn’t have a digital read-out or any buttons to push. If you want to increase the speed, you simply turn the knob.

I use both the low and the high-speed handpieces and they have excellent ergonomics with a nonslip texture. Even with the high-speed handpiece, with this motor you can turn the speed down for high torque and low speed, so it can be used as a friction grip instead of a latch type. I like the torque it gives you. If you don’t want to have a low-speed handpiece, you don’t have to buy the low speed.

When I am doing composites, I like to be able to control the speed to get my surface texture and anatomy. I also like to be able to use the low-speed handpiece on a latch bur to control the speed of discs for polishability and removing decay.