Wide-Ranging Partnership Provides Consistency, Quality
ArgenZ zirconia and Argen Digital services cover various needs
By Joel Richardson
Our full-service laboratory, part of the National Dentex Corporation, prioritizes quality and consistency for our clients in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area. So when Argen—whose alloys we have used for more than 20 years—began offering outsourcing services and zirconia discs in recent years, we seized the opportunity to expand our partnership.
The majority of work at our laboratory is accomplished via milling or rapid prototype printing and pressing of ceramics. Approximately 20% of our cases arrive via .stl files from intraoral scanners, and we utilize Argen Digital’s 3D printing services to produce models for these cases. We also utilize Argen Digital for selective laser melting (SLM) of copings and frameworks. We use ArgenIS scan bodies with intraoral cases from our surgeons and general dentists.
Perhaps the most expansive partnership we have had with Argen has been for milled zirconia restorations. We began utilizing Argen Digital’s outsource milling services several years ago, and last summer when we started milling in house, we purchased the same brand of precision milling machines that Argen Digital uses, along with the high-quality ArgenZ Anterior and Esthetic Zirconia.
We chose ArgenZ Zirconia for several reasons. The esthetics and strength of the material meet the high standards that we have established for our laboratory. Perhaps just as importantly, the fact that ArgenZ Zirconia is internationally certified gives us a high degree of confidence, which we are able to share with our dentists. Using reputable, reliable materials is a priority for our dentists, so they ask questions about what we use. The longevity of the relationship we have with Argen, as well as the company’s strong reputation in the industry, allow us to guarantee consistency.
We still use Argen Digital’s milling services when we have an overflow situation in which we are beyond capacity within our laboratory or network. There are several tangible benefits to this partnership beyond the fact that zirconia restorations milled at Argen Digital are consistent with those that we mill in our laboratory. Argen’s technicians are experts with 3Shape software. Plus, because the milling center’s location is on the West Coast, we have additional business hours to make the cut-off time for two-day turnaround.
Argen’s customer support has been a real asset to our business as well. We have established strong communication with their team, working with multiple product lines and services, and we feel comfortable in the knowledge that they are able to respond to any challenges we bring to them.
Argen’s vision as a company has allowed us to reap the benefits of our partnership through the various stages of our digital integration. We did not need to switch suppliers when we began using milling and printing technology or when we began bringing some of those processes in house. From providing alloys 20 years ago to millable discs and digital outsource services today, Argen has been a consistent partner in excellence for our laboratory.
Disclaimer: The statements and opinions contained in the preceding material are not necessarily those of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dental Technology.
Joel Richardson
General Manager
NDX Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN
Key Takeaways
• ArgenZ Zirconia meets high standards for esthetics and strength and is internationally certified
• Argen Digital’s milled restorations are produced by expert technicians using high-precision machines
• Argen’s range of products and outsourcing services provide consistency for its partners and their dentists
Manufacturer Information
Argen
argen.com
800-255-5524
