Chicago, IL, November 25, 2014 —Leading oral healthcare products manufacturer Sunstar Americas will use the Greater New York Dental Meeting to showcase efficiency-enhancing innovations for not only its traditional area of hygiene care, but for periodontal procedures as well.  Looking to augment its longstanding heritage as a dental hygiene innovator, Sunstar will spotlight its new Butler®Prophyciency™ disposable prophy angles, the industry’s only prophy angles that clean and polish without paste.  In addition, the company will expand its reach within the dental practice with its launch of a revolutionary, easy-to-handle bone grafting solution aptly named GUIDOR® easy-graft® alloplastic bone grafting system.

Butler®Prophyciency™ disposable prophy angles, the latest breakthrough in professional dental hygiene pioneered by Sunstar, represent a truly smarter way to clean.  They can save hygienists considerable time by eliminating the need to refill the cup in the prophy angle as well as the need for the patient to rinse during a cleaning, by providing much better visibility during cleaning, and by simplifying cleanup between patients due to the lack of paste splatter or mess. 

Moreover, Butler®Prophyciency™ delivers exceptionally versatile cleaning efficacy.  Its unique  ButlerBloom™. Contouring Cup is designed to effectively clean and polish interproximally, subgingivallyand on all facial and lingual tooth surfaces.  It adapts better to follow contours on all tooth surfaces, and it transitions easily from tooth to tooth.  One study revealed that 78% of patients who received a Prophyciency™ prophylaxis preferred it to the traditional procedure.  A related study revealed that 71% of dental professionals who used Prophyciency™ felt that it would be beneficial to their polishing procedure and patient care.  In addition, clinical research indicates that Prophyciency™ delivers significantly superior stain removal thanthe leading prophy angle brand used in combination with the leading prophy paste.

GUIDOR® easy-graft® is an ultra-efficient bone grafting solution being introduced by Sunstar into the North American market after years of success in overseas markets.  It is a fully resorbable, synthetic bone graft substitute that will appeal to clinicians who seek stability, osteoconductivity and control of placement. With over 250,000 applications worldwide, GUIDOR® easy-graft® is a complete system that can be trusted to predictably and efficiently handle all socket preservation and immediate implant needs.

Each GUIDOR® easy-graft® system is composed of beta-tricalcium phosphate granules coated with a polylactide polymer that are mixed with an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone liquid activator called BioLinker® to form a permeable, moldable material that hardens to form a stable, porous scaffold. This unique combination of materials in GUIDOR® easy-graft® provides the foundation for exceptionally easy preparation, dispensing and shaping. The porosity of the granule supports material resorption and bone regeneration. A majority of clinicians surveyed said they use GUIDOR® easy-graft® because preparation and placement are simpler and faster than other bone graft materialsand because use it does not require a membrane in many cases.

“We feel these two innovations will have a dramatic impact on the efficiency of our valued customers,” said Aaron Pfarrer, Senior Director of Marketing and Professional Relations for Sunstar.  “Butler®Prophyciency™ builds on our rich heritage of enhancing the efficacy and convenience of hygiene care, while GUIDOR® easy-graft® will enable us to bring the same degree of ingenuity to periodontics that we have been bringing to dental hygiene for decades.”

The Butler®Prophyciency™and GUIDOR® easy-graft® product lines, and all other Sunstar Americas products, can be viewed at Booth #3828 at the Greater New York Dental Meeting November 30 through December 3, 2014.    Additional information about Sunstar Americas professional dental products can be found at us-professional.gumbrand.com.

Zahn Dental has announced the Zirlux Selfie Sweepstakes, a social media campaign whose purpose is to engage the online community through posting "selfies" of completed Zirlux restorations.

Zahn would like to showcase dental laboratories that currently use Zirlux, and therefore initiated a sweepstakes through which dental laboratories using Zirlux have the chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate for sharing their Zirlux restoration.

How to enter: In order to enter the contest, please take a photo of your completed Zirlux restoration and email the photo to Zahn.DentalMarketing@henryschein.com. When submitting the entry, please make sure to include your first & last name,  email address, phone number, state, zip code and country along with a brief description of the photo.

Alternate method of entry: Send a legibly handwritten post-card with your name, laboratory name, phone number, email, city, state and zip code to: Zahn Dental Marketing – Zirlux Sweepstakes, 135 Duryea Road, E-135, Melville, New York 11747 and request to be entered into the Zahn Dental Zirlux Selfie Sweepstakes. All information must be provided in order to be eligible for the drawing. Post-card entries will be entered into the sweepstakes in the month the post-card is received.

Eligibility: Open to dental laboratories and their staff who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia (except residents of Puerto Rico and Vermont and physician owned dental laboratories) who are at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is greater at the time of entry.

Prizes: Winners will receive a $100 Amazon gift certificate. There will be a total of three winners selected.

Rules/restrictions: Dental laboratories that bill Medicare, Medicaid or Tricare are not eligible to participate. The photo submitted must be a picture that you took yourself and is therefore your own. Your entry should include a photo of a completed Zirlux restoration that was a case from your laboratory and your laboratory only. One entry per laboratory per month permitted.

Deadline: January 31, 2015 at 11:59pm EST

Winners will be notified on or before February 16, 2015.

Find the official rules at www.zahndental.com. All entries will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Please make sure to like Zahn on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zahndental and follow them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/henryschein.

A new 13-year recall study by the University of Florida was recently published on the long-term performance of Shofu’s Beautifil composite and FL Bond.

Both feature Shofu’s proprietary Giomer technology, an S-PRG filler formulated to release and recharge fluoride along with 5 other unique ions. Variables evaluated included color match, marginal adaptation, anatomy, surface roughness, marginal staining, interfacial staining, proximal and occlusal contacts, secondary caries, post-operative sensitivity, and luster.

The impressive results support the clinical benefits associated with Giomer materials. Contact Shofu at customer-service@shofu.com to receive a copy of this study today.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – For more than 10 years, dentists have been helping patients regain confidence in their full and partial dentures by using 3M™ ESPE™ MDI Mini Dental Implants for denture stabilization. Now, this market-leading solution is even more patient-pleasing, as the esthetics of the metal housings have been improved with a new pink color that helps the housings blend more naturally with dentures. The metal housings remain available in standard (MH-1), micro (MH-2) or O-cap (MH-3) designs.

The addition of pink metal housings adds to the appeal of MDI Mini Dental Implants as an alternative for patients who cannot withstand the rigors of conventional implant surgery, don’t have enough bone to allow for full-sized implants to be placed, or are seeking a lower cost option than traditional implant treatment.

“By blending more naturally with dentures, these new pink metal housings will allow patients to eat, talk, and live with comfort and confidence, said Karen Capiz, U.S. marketing manager for implants. “We are proud to continue to lead innovation in the small-diameter implant category by making the system more attractive to patients and dentists.”

Dentists may learn more about how MDI Mini Dental Implants can help build their practice by attending 1-2 day MDI Education Seminars. Introductory seminar attendees learn the minimally invasive surgical placement protocol as well as prosthetic techniques, and become prepared to stabilize full dentures using the MDI system. MDI Expanded Indications Training Seminars are intended for doctors who have attended the introductory certification MDI seminar or who have experience placing implants.

Concord, North Carolina – Valplast International Corporation exhibited new Valplast finishing and polishing products and its pioneering work in digital workflows for RPD’s at the Eastern Conference of Dental Labs, in Concord, North Carolina, November 6^th and 7^th. Justin Marks, CDT presented a technical lecture entitled “Removables Enter Digital Dentistry”, highlighting the benefits of a full digital workflow for removable partials and giving an overview of CAD/CAM techniques for Valplast® partials and cast metal frameworks.

“Labs who have become accustomed to outsourcing their frames can save a huge amount and increase profits by using digital prototyping and bringing the casting back in-house.” (Justin Marks, CDT, President, Master-Touch Dental Laboratories, Inc.)

With the efficiency, precision, and accuracy of the Precise-Fit™ technology, dental laboratories can expect an increase in removables volume. The state of the art techniques for fabricating Valplast® and cast RPD’s from digital impressions or model scans reduce fabrication time and in many cases result in shorter treatment turnaround in fewer appointments.

“Valplast is more than a flexible partial product.  We have over 60 years of innovation working toward an optimal patient experience with removable restorations.  Precise-Fit™ is the next generation bringing the digital workflow to flexible as well as metal partials.” (Peter Nagy, CEO, Valplast International Corp)

About Valplast International Corporation

Valplast International Corporation was founded in 1959 by Arpad F. Nagy and Tibor F. Nagy and became a pioneer in removable flexible partials. With the creation and development of the Valplast® resin, introduced at Master-Touch Dental Laboratories in 1953 and still used today, the Nagys were able to offer the dental industry an effective method for constructing partial dentures.

About Precise-Fit Services International

Precise-Fit Service International from Valplast, is a revolutionary digital workflow application with rapid prototyping for partial denture baseplates, each designed by expert Valplast technicians at the Valplast headquarters in Westbury, NY. This unique service allows Valplast technicians and prescribing dentists to draw upon our decades of experience in designing fully functional, aesthetic partial dentures in Valplast® for virtually any partial denture case.  

Zahn Dental released an updated list of education courses. A total of 51 CDT credits are available the rest of the year via the following courses:

November 2014

November 14: The Art of Zirconia Restoration Sandy, UT | Kent Kohli, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 November 14: Dentsply: Complete Denture Workshop Indianapolis, IN | Kristi Neff, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 November 14: Myerson: Making Great Removables Clark, NJ | Kris Schermerhorn, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 November 14: The Snow Rock Advantage  Jacksonville, FL | Yunsoon Kim, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 November 21: The Snow Rock Advantage Rolling Meadows, IL | Yunsoon Kim, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 November 21: Dental Wings: Unsurpassed Versatility  Webinar | Nannette Boyd, CDT | CDT Credits: 1

December 2014

December 5: Dentsply: Complete Denture Workshop Roswell, GA | Kristi Neff, CDT | CDT Credits: 8 December 12: The Snow Rock Advantage Webinar | Yunsoon Kim, CDT | CDT Credits: 1 December 19: Dental Wings: Unsurpassed Versatility Webinar | Nannette Boyd, CDT | CDT Credits: 1

Anaheim, California –Valplast International Corporation and Precise-Fit Services International attended the Dental Laboratory Owners Association of California CAD/CAM Symposium in Anaheim, California, on October 31 and November 1. Justin S. Marks, CDT, headed the lecture entitled “Removables Enter Digital Dentistry,” highlighting the benefits of a full digital workflow for removable partials and giving an overview of CAD/CAM techniques for cast metal frameworks.

“Removable prosthodontics continues to be one of the strongest areas of growth in restorative dentistry and yet it is the slowest area to be addressed by digital dentistry. The number of scanners being acquired by labs and dentists is growing at a significant rate and with Precise-Fit CAD/CAM Services by Valplast we aim to assist with the implementation of a digital workflow for both flexible partials and cast metal RPD frameworks,” Marks said.

Precise-Fit Services International aims to create high-efficiency workflows within dental laboratories. With a state-of-the-art digital CAD/CAM scanning process and predictable results, turnover time between trial placement and processing becomes virtually instantaneous. This increase in lab productivity using Precise-Fit eliminates the need to design, duplicate and wax for Valplast partials and saves a significant amount of time and labor.

“We are finding that fits are better, turnaround times are faster, and the outcome of a restoration is more predictable than was ever thought possible with more traditional design and fabrication methods,” Marks said.

See what Valplast will be up to at IDT | Collaboration in an exclusive interview with Marks by clicking here.

Amherst, NY - Ivoclar Vivadent announced its new partnership with BEGO USA through its association with Wieland Precision Technology to provide digital alloy options with Selective Laser Melting and CAD/Casting. This new partnership solidifies Wieland Precision Technology as a comprehensive outsourcing production center and solution for laboratories to help increase their efficiency for producing quality metal-based restorations.

The Selective Laser Melting offered by BEGO USA and Wieland is a form of rapid prototyping or sterolithography completed using laser technology to melt alloy powder into thin layers. These thin layers are then melted together to create homogenous copings and bridges. Compared to restorations cast in the same alloy, restorations featuring alloys processed with Selective Laser Melting offer higher tensile strength, superior elongation limits, and enhanced modulus of elasticity properties.

Among the BEGO USA Selective Laser Melting alloys available from Wieland Precision Technology is BegoPal+, a noble alloy ideal for copings and frameworks up to 5 units. Also available is Wirobond C+, which is used for partially and fully veneered frameworks solutions with up to 16 units, and arrives corrosion resistant, biocompatible, ready for degassing or final polishing, and with outstanding accuracy of fit.  In addition to these two alloys, BEGO USA also fabricates CAD/Casting alloys, including Callisto CPG, Harmony 2 and Evolution Lite.

“BEGO USA is wonderful business partner,” said Dr. Michael Gaglio, Vice President of Marketing for Ivoclar Vivadent.  “They are an innovator in the digital production of alloy-based restorations.  Their attention to detail and commitment to quality are second to none.”

Wieland Precision Technology utilizes a variety of high quality materials and techniques to provide laboratories with personalized restorations that offer high esthetics and accurate fit and is a flexible digital solutions partner. In particular, Wieland Precision Technology Outsourcing provides laboratories with an efficient and high-quality solution to over capacity laboratories and complex restorations for permanent and provisional cases, long span bridges, and implant retained restorations. 

ATLANTA–The high degree of precision of the CS 3500 intraoral scanner has earned it the coveted distinction of an OraMetrix Inc. certification for use with its suresmile^® technology.

suresmile is an innovative system for orthodontists that combines 3D diagnostic imaging with computerized treatment planning  and robotic archwire customization. The suresmile system enables doctors to pro-actively plan tooth movement on digital models and customize prescriptive archwires for precise and efficient treatment. The integration of CS 3500 scans with the suresmile software means orthodontists will have improved treatment planning as well as unprecedented control over treatment.

“The CS 3500 delivers the high resolution images that suresmile needs to design 3D models and produce precise orthodontic appliances,” Phil Getto, chief technology officer for OraMetrix, said. “It’s crucial that models are accurate so that we can measure bracket positions on the teeth, and, most important, so practitioners can see how the teeth fit together from every angle and determine the most efficient treatment plan.”

“The suresmile certification enhances the CS 3500’s versatility,” Matt Hendrickson, U.S. orthodontic director at Carestream Dental, said. “The integration with suresmile enables practitioners to capture high-resolution images digitally rather than using traditional impressions, eliminating the need for using impression material, pouring molds or waiting for stone models to set.”

The CS 3500 acquires true color, 2D and 3D images that can be used with CS Model software to create digital models. Requiring no external heater, powder or trolley system, the CS 3500 features high-angulation scanning of up to 45 degrees and to a depth from -2 to +13mm. It also features autoclavable tips available in two sizes—a smaller tip for children or adults with small mouths and a larger tip for adults.

Carestream Dental's CS 9300C Select and CS 9300C systems previously received certification for Orametrix’s suresmile technology in April 2013 and October 2011, respectively. Carestream Dental is now the only company to have both a CBCT unit and intraoral scanner certified by suresmile.

For more information about the CS 3500 or other dental imaging solutions, please call 800-944-6365 or visit www.carestreamdental.com. For more information about suresmile, go to www.suresmile.com.

Montreal, Canada — Dental Wings has announced the release of DWOS® version 4.0. Perhaps the most ambitious enhancement of its leading dental CAD platform, the new release features a full denture design application and live connectivity with implant planning.

Version 4.0 of DWOS incorporates a full featured application for digital denture design. It also features several important advances to enhance the user experience: customizable photo-realistic renderings, a new modern iconography, context sensitive online help, and a new intuitive Dental Desktop. Last but not the least, DWOS 4.0 brings DWOS Synergy™ to life. DWOS Synergy is a live connection between the DWOS Implant Prosthetic application and coDiagnostiX.