Noah Levine

Known for its compact and robust dental milling systems, Roland DGA is the newest company to offer a 3D printing solution with the launch of the new 

Created as a compliment to the company’s DWX series of wet and dry dental mills, the 

PRINT features 4KL LCD 3D printing technology for rapid production of precision dental parts. The printer is capable of producing dental models, dentures, provisional crowns and bridges, occlusal guards, surgical guides, custom clear retainers, removable die fits, and more, according to a press release.

With its small footprint, the printer is suited for use in both dental practices and well as dental laboratories, but the compact size, doesn’t limit the system’s capabilities. The printer features a 90 x 120 x 180 mm build plate with 40 square-inches of surface. This allows the printer to produce up to 8 full arches in a single print run. Depending on the material being printed, the 

PRINT can print at speeds up to 50 mm per hour. An open-architecture printer, it is validated for printing with more than 150 resins from more than 20 different manufacturers.

Additionally, the company is offering the printer as a part of the 

 Dental 3D Printer Bundle which includes the printer, the corresponding 

WORKS CAD design and slicing software, and there are no maintenance, update, or annual fees.

“We are excited to offer this fast, precise, and affordable 3D printing solution to our customers,” Roland DGA dental marketing manager Lisa Aguirre says in a press release. “The 

 bundle is a complete, advanced, easy-to-use 3D printing solution that perfectly complements our high-performance DWX milling machines. By integrating its capabilities into their workflows, businesses can optimize their production and offer same-day applications with outstanding uniformity and accuracy.”

While developing the printer, Roland DGA put it though a 5-million-layer test process in real-time dental conditions. This helped refine its performance and demonstrated the system’s reliability. The 

PRINT is fabricated with industrial-grade optical components, and it also features an automated cooling system to keep it operating at the ideal temperature.

Articles

The new 3D printer was designed to serve as a complement to the company's dental milling solutions.

DGSHAPE Americas Moves into 3D Printing With New 3DXPRINT and the 3DX Dental 3D Printer Bundle

Well suited for Class I, II, III, and V restorations, Stela is a self-cure composite designed for efficient, reliable placement. The material cures starting with the restoration interface, rather than the exterior surface which helps prevent marginal gaps, eliminate postoperative sensitivity, and reduce restoration failure.

This 4-in-1 system is designed to enhance user experience, leading to improvements in diagnoses, patient care, and business growth. A versatile system catering to the diverse imaging needs of clinicians, including full-arch scanning, the CS8200 3D access offers 2D panoramic imaging, CBCT imaging, 3D-object scanning, and optional cephalometric imaging.

The lone surviving 4 seed faces off against one of the two 1 seeds to advance this far. Stela, the innovative self-curing direct restorative from SDI has been seeing solid support throughout the bracket, while Carestream Dental's versatile cone beam solutions has also easily dispatched the competition thus far. Something will have to give as they clash to see who takes their place in the finals.

A light-cured, resin-modified calcium silicate indicated for direct and indirect pulp capping and as a protective liner, TheraCal LC acts as a protectant of the dental pulp, and the hydrophilic resin formulation is designed to create a durable liner.

Designed to form a 270° Seal for ultimate flash control. It is said to provide strong tooth separation yet is easier to open due to the Nitinol drawn-wire nickel titanium that is aligned at the molecular level for superior performance. Designed for more uses, the PEEK ultra-durable reinforcement on the back of the ring allows Strata-G to retain a higher percentage of initial strength for much longer.

Maybe it's because it is the most established product in the field, but 1 seed TheraCal LC from BISCO has marched through the first two rounds without much of an opposition. Now with a spot in the finals awaiting the winner, it faces off against the latest matrix solution from Garrison, a 3 seed that has managed to squeak its way through the first two rounds of voting. Will TheraCal continue to dominate, or will the thus far dormant support for the Strata-G matrix answer the call in the semi-finals?

Quadrant champions have been crowned and now the 2024 Spring Selection features just a quartet of dental products. Which of these will move on to next week's final showdown? Vote now.

Spring Selection 2024 - Round 3: Semi-Finals

A non-surgical, custom, 3D-printed device designed to alleviate inflammation of the TMD joint, the Urbanek TMJ Device is designed to unload the temporomandibular joint.

“It’s our mission to provide dental care professionals with a system to safely eliminate TMJ/TMD for their patients without surgery or medications.” 

– Urbanek TMJ CEO & Founder Anthony Urbanek, DDS, MD, MS

"CBCT is no longer a tool reserved for specialists, hospitals, or imaging centers. Today, compact, user-friendly systems like the CS 8200 3D Access are ensuring that more practices, including general dentistry practices, can benefit from the power of 3D imaging."

 – Carestream Dental General Manager, Global Equipment, Philippe Maillet

The first round of the 2024 Spring Selection was not kind to the randomly selected 2 seeds, but that's great news for the 3 seeds, all of which advanced to the 2nd round. In this matchup, 3 seed Urbanek TMJ Device is taking on 4 seed CS 8200 Access from Carestream Dental. It's a bit of a chicken or egg matchup as the vote comes down to an imaging system capable of helping diagnose TMJ issues, or an oral appliance protocol that can provide relief for patients suffering from those issues.

“The benefit of having an alkaline pH has been reported in the literature as the inhibition of bacterial growth. At the end of the day. That’s the main goal.” 

– BISCO Clinical Research Manager Rolando Nuñez, DDS, MSc

Designed with high levels of translucency to allow clinicians to achieve esthetic results that patients desire, Transcend uses Ultradent’s Resin Particle Match™ technology to ensure high levels of translucency which in turn lead to ideal pigmentation and opacity. Transcend uses a nanohybrid formula that makes it suitable for posterior and anterior restorations, as well as lending it good handling properties.

“Its unique formulation offers the perfect balance or flexibility, strength, and gloss retention to ensure the long-lasting results patients are seeking.” 

– Ultradent Senior VP of Research & Development Neil Jessop

In this matchup we have the first of the pair of 1 seeds that moved on to the second round with BISCO's TheraCal LC base/liner material moving forward for a head-to-head showdown with another material in the form of Transcend composite from Ultradent. In some cases these two materials might be helpful within the same restoration, but in the Spring Selection a choice must be made.

"The tinted non-stick coating allows for a perfect view of the marginal fit of the matrix to the cervical step." 

A 5-axis dry milling machine the DXW-52D plus features an included disc adapter rack, an optional C-Clamp accessory, a 15-station automatic tool changer, a newly engineered spindle, and the included VPanel software. 

“This state-of-the-art dry milling machine feature improvements that enable any size lab or clinic to optimize production, increase quality, and work more effectively with a wider range of materials.”

 – Roland DGA Dental Marketing Manager, Lisa Aguirre

This 3 seed versus 4 seed matchup is between a pair of products with almost nothing in common. On one side of this showdown is the Strata-G matrix system from Garrison Dental, which stands out with its innovative use of materials to create a matrix solution that can stand up to repeated use. In the opposing corner is Roland DGA's DWX-52D Plus mill which is designed for efficient fabrication of digitally designed restorations. How does one choose between such unlike things? 

"It's a highly efficient, highly effective system produces superior results with no marginal gaps and excellent physical properties. So, give it a try, reimagine what you can do with composite."

Combining Henry Schein One’s Dentrix platform and VideaHealth’s artificial intelligence technology, Dentrix Detect AI is an AI-enabled x-ray analysis tool that provides real-time clinical decision support to dentists. Its full integration into Dentrix allows it to work within existing Dentrix workflows.

“Having our AI detection technology seamlessly integrated into the Dentrix software that dentists use every day is a huge step forward. Dentists can now easily and immediately begin utilizing AI to help them make the most accurate patient diagnoses possible.”

 – Founder and CEO of VideaHealth, Florian Hillen

The final matchup in the 2nd round once again finds a restorative material in the mix. This time its SDI's Stela, an innovative self-curing composite that is gaining traction due to its simplicity and efficacy. Ready to face-off against this innovative restorative is the only software application to move past the first round. Dentrix Detect AI integrates artificial intelligence radiograph analysis powered by Videa AI, and it too is designed to provide a streamlined workflow, and outstanding outcomes. 

The first round is in the books and now 8 innovative dental products remain in play to be named the 2024 Spring Selection. Check them out and vote for your favorite.

Spring Selection 2024 - Round 2

This versatile light-cured dental adhesive is optimized for both direct and indirect restorations and is compatible with dentin, enamel, composites, zirconia, and commonly used metals. Plus, it features glass filler technology that permeates dentin tubules to create tight structural bonds.

In what is becoming a classic for the Spring Selection, this matchup does not make a lot of head to head sense. It is a choice between a material designed to make it easier to perform restorative dentistry, and CBCT solution designed to make it simple to capture 3D images. Which is more important, more impactful, more fun to support? 

This cordless endodontic handpiece features an integrated apex locator and is compatible with both rotary and reciprocating files. Designed for safety and efficiency, it features Optimum Torque Reverse (OTR) technology that reduces the risk of files binding or breaking in the canal.

This is a matchup of a handpiece designed for convenience, efficiency, and safety against a protocol and appliance that provides relief for patients in pain. Which of these deserves to move to the second round?  

ProFlare™ Articulating Disposable Prophy Angle

Designed to offer superior quality outcomes at an affordable price, tese innovative prophy angles feature a latex-free articulating cup with a patent-pending pivot and flare design that adapts to the unique contours of each tooth surface. This design significantly reduces the required wrist motion during polishing and improves ergonomics for dental professionals.

Both of these products are about protecting a patient's teeth. So which is getting your vote, the material for protecting beneath a restoration or the prophy angle designed for effective and efficient cleanings?

DTX Studio Clinic now offers 6 types of pathological dental findings on periapical and bitewing intraoral images and is fully integrated into a practice’s imaging software. DTX Studio Clinic is designed to screen dental radiographs and annotate suspected areas of interest, allowing clinicians to make informed decisions about diagnosis and treatment.

This is another software against materials match-up, as Ultradent's latest composite material faces off against DEXIS' AI-powered imaging solution.

Designed to help make composite placement less stressful and more predictable, this custom matrix system allows clinicians to design composite cosmetic cases virtually, and then execute them with a guide to help adhere to the plan.

The bracket is out and 16 dental products are set to compete for your votes. The path to the 2024 Spring Selection starts now…

Spring Selection 2024 - Round 1

Dental Products Report Editorial Director Noah Levine introduces the 16 products competing to be named the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection.

2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection Bracket Reveal Video

Hello, and welcome to the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection. This is our 2024 bracket reveal show, and we're going to be introducing you to the program this year, and the 16 dental products that will be competing for your votes. So let's jump right in and talk about the 2024 Spring Selection.

First off, just what is the 2024 Spring Selection? Well, it's a bracket-style competition where we pit dental products head-to-head and let you vote to see which ones move forward. The products featured in the spring selection were randomly selected from among the products that have been covered on dental products report in both print and online over the past 12 months. These products were also given random seeds. As always, the bracket is broken up into four quadrants, just like a patient's mouth.

And now let's take a look at the bracket and meet the products featured in the spring selection.

And we're gonna start with the upper right quadrant and number 1 seed Rodin Bond from Pac-dent. This is an adhesive system designed for 3D-printed restorations. The number 2 seed in the upper right quadrant is going to be TriAuto ZX2+, an endodontic handpiece from J MORITA. The number 3 seed is the Urbanek TMJ Device from Urbanek TMJ Device & Protocol, a solution for patients who are struggling with TMJ. Finally in this quadrant, we have the CS 8200 3D Access CBCT system from Carestream Dental, a CBCT system designed to grow with your practice.

Moving over to the upper left quadrant of our bracket. Let's take a look at the four products here. The number 1 seed is TheraCal LC from Bisco, a fluoride releasing base and liner material. At the number 2 seed in this quadrant is DTX Studio Clinic AI from DEXIS. This adds AI capabilities to the company's imaging processing software. At the 3 seed in the upper left quadrant, we have Transcend a universal composite with chameleon like effects from Ultradent. And the 4th seed in this part of the bracket is the ProFlare Articulating Disposable Prophy Angles from Premier Dental. These are prophy angles with a head that can articulate to match the curves of the teeth.

Moving on down to the lower left quadrant of our bracket. The number1 seed is the 3M Filtek mMatrix from Solventum. This is a device and system designed to make composite veneers cases simpler. The number 2 seed in this quadrant is RevenueWell's bundles. This is the multiple tiers of their dental practice software. The number 3 seed in the lower left quadrant of our bracket is the Strata-G Sectional Matrix System from Garrison Dental. Featuring cutting edge materials, this is a matrix system designed for use over and over again. Finally, rounding out our lower left quadrant is the DWX-52D Plus mill from Roland DGA, a workhorse of a mill for producing all sorts of dental restorations.

And finally, the lower right quadrant where the number 1 seed is Stela, a self care composite from SDI. The number 2 seed here is Adit Treatment Planning Software from Adit. It's a digital treatment planning software designed to make it easier to communicate with patients. The number 3 seed in the lower right quadrant, Dentrix Detect AI from Henry Schein One. This adds Videa AI's image analysis solution to Dentrix's imaging software. And finally, rounding out our bracket, number 4 seed in the lower right quadrant, we have fastprint.io from Glidewell Dental. This is a 3D printing solution designed for efficiency.

And there we have our bracket for the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection. Check back tomorrow for the first round matchups where the number 1 seeds take on the number 4 seeds, and the number 2 seeds take on the number 3 seeds.

You can vote both on dentalproductsreport.com as well as on our Instagram page, so be sure to vote twice in each of these matchups.

We'll see you back here to announce just who has been named the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection.

Videos

Spring has officially sprung, and with March giving way to April, the madness is settling down, but that really means it's time for the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection. 

Just what is the Spring Selection, you ask…Why it's an annual tournament where we pit recently covered dental products against each other in head-to-head matches to win your favor. The Spring Selection is a chance to learn about different dental products while voting for the ones you like best. 

In each match-up the product with the most votes will move on, and the other product will not. Each week we will announce the previous week's results and update our bracket as we move toward naming the 2024 Spring Selection.

Now in its second year, we've simplified the event by starting with 16 products instead of the 64 we included last year. The 2024 Spring Selection will run for the next 4 weeks with the winner named on May 14.

This year, the products featured in our bracket, as well as their seeds were randomly selected from among all the products covered by Dental Products Report throughout the past 12 months.

We present this tournament to provide some moments of fun while sharing information about dental innovations. How you evaluate a match-up between two random products with nothing in common, is up to you. Vote for the product you think is more innovative, more important, or whatever other criteria you want to base a vote around. 

Voting begins tomorrow both here, and on the 

. You can vote twice in each match-up, but first continue reading to learn what products are in the tournament, where they're seeded, and who is facing who to kick things off.

"The first universal bonding agent designed for 3D printed restorations."

"Endo. Optimized. Intelligent Endodontic Motor."

"Effectively Eliminate Your Patient’s TMD Symptoms with Proven Solutions."

"Articulating cup design for a superior polish."

"Everything your practice needs, the choices you want."

"Reliable Dental Milling Now Comes with Added Efficiency."

"Say goodbye to complicated EHR screens and printing spreadsheets, and hello to fully customizable treatment plans."

"Artificial Intelligence for Next-Level Patient Care."

Meet the 16 products in the running for the title of 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection and see the opening round match-ups. The road to the Spring Selection starts here…

Presenting the 2024 Dental Products Report Spring Selection Bracket

Ashley Herman, DDS, founder of Firstgrin, is working to educate and provide resources to parents and pediatricians to enhance early childhood dental health.

Addressing Unmet Needs in Early Childhood Oral Care

 Hello, I'm Noah Levine Editorial Director with Dental Products Report. Today I'm joined by Dr. Ashley Lerman. She's the founder of Firstgrin and a pediatric dentist. Dr. Lerman. Thanks so much for joining us.

Thanks so much for having me. I'm excited to talk to you about my story. A little bit of background tell everyone about first grand. Wonderful.

Well, to start right off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What led you to becoming a dentist?

Absolutely. So I'm currently a board certified pediatric dentist. Both of my parents are in the dental field. My dad is a general dentist, my mom's a periodontist. So, grew up being around the office helping out. I remember being a kid and my dad blowing up the gloves and playing with a balloon in the back while he was working. So I've been around the field for a very long time.

Wonderful. And can you tell us a little bit about your everyday practice? So what do you do day in day out as a pediatric dentist?

Absolutely. So after residency, I was working in a really, really busy practice I was seeing between 60 and 80 patients a day, very high need, low access to care location. That's what bred the idea of Firstgrin, because I just kept hearing the pain point of parents not knowing what to do, how to do it, and when for their children's teeth, and basically going to the dentist once a problem arose. So I wanted to mitigate that and create a solution early on. But in terms of clinical care, I'm still seeing patients a few times a week still in a lower access to care location to make sure I'm still solving the pain point that I set out to.

You mentioned, you are seeing lots of problems with the patients coming into this clinic. And are you feeling that people just are not getting the right start to oral health as children, and so that sets them up for problems down the line.

I think we're not talking about it early enough. Between ages 0 and 12 months is a really, really important time for anticipatory guidance, or basically setting the stage for parents for what to do and what to expect in terms of oral and dental care. For a long time, the guidelines were for kids to go to the dentist around age three for the first visit, though those were changed and the first visit is recommended actually, within 6 months of the first tooth erupting or by age 1. So we really want to set out to educate and prevent disease rather than fix it, because dentistry is very reactive as a field.

Currently, do you think new parents are aware of these guidelines? Are they getting good information about how to take care of the oral health of their newborns and their kids as they're growing?

You know, I think it's a really good question. As a new parent myself of a 10-month old, there are so many things we're preoccupied with, like sleep, nutrition that I often find oral and dental health falls to the wayside. And my goal isn't to overwhelm parents in any way. It's to just invite dentistry to the conversation because it's often left out until there's a problem established. And I see day in and day out with parents how stressful, you know, emotionally and financially dentistry can be so I want a solution that's tangible for them.

You know, for early childhood care, lots of people are at their pediatrician all the time. They're able to get advice and general things but are pediatricians providing any advice these days on oral care? Are they informed of the recommendations and what their patients should be doing?

You know, I think it was runs a wide gamut. I've spoken to a lot of colleagues who are pediatricians that admittedly say they aren't trained in oral and dental health. They will discuss fluoride drops in terms of supplementation brushing teeth, I'm not sure how in depth it goes. And also I feel for them because they have a lot of things to cover. Again, weight, sleep, nutrition milestones, developmental. So oral health may fall to the wayside, and there are pediatric dentist specialists. However, I do think the conversation between dentistry and medicine is long overdue. There needs to be an interconnection early on so we can prevent disease because cavities are kids' number one1chronic disease.

Tell me a little bit about Firstgrin. You mentioned it before, what is Firstgrin and why did you start it?

So Firstgrin is a company I started. It's a preventive oral health tech company. My goal is to send out intro oral care kits to new and expecting parents with what to use how to use it. And we basically send out little tools like a new toothbrush, a gum brush or wipes, a teether, some flossers, as well as a little info card on when to use each thing. The goal is to overcome any friction that going to a dentist may introduce as well as equip parents with the tools and information of how to take care of their children's teeth confidently.

Dentists unfortunately don't always have the best reputation in the public mind. You know, going to the dentist is often the thing people compared to a bad experience. So does the work you're doing with first grin and Setting up both parents and young children to think about their oral health. Do you think that can help kind of turn some of that around and make those experiences less of an ordeal for children?

Definitely. And I hear you about the reputation. I hear about the drill, fill, bill model, and I really want to fight against that. There are dentists and oral care providers who care. My goal is to give parents this information early. So they feel empowered to take care of their kids teeth to set that early foundation into adulthood, and desensitize them even for their first dental visit, because a lot of us as adults have had poor dental experiences, and we may unintentionally and unknowingly project that on our children. So it's really working with the parent and adult, I'm sorry, the parent and the child.

In terms of, you know, you mentioned earlier, that it would be good to get history and, you know, major medical talking to each other. Are there ways that, you know, pediatric practices can be helping their patients and the parents of these children better? Or should they be connecting with the pediatric dental practice? Should they have sort of, you know, an idea of warning signs to look out for for things that they might see that parents wouldn't know about? And, you know, basically, you would need a dental professional to take care of, definitely.

So we created a free Firstgrin oral care digital app that we recommend to all pediatricians, and anyone who are working with children—even for parents—to use as a digital trauma guide, as well as FAQs and pictures of what to look out for. If a provider or even parent were to look in the mouth and see super white staining, brown spots, yellow spots, dark spots, then I probably recommend seeing a professional. But again, rather than being so reactive, we want to get in early. So even, like I said, 6 months within that first tooth coming in setting that early, healthy stage to prevent rather than fix is the goal.

And in terms of some of that prevention, what are some of the things that parents should be doing and, pediatric healthcare professionals like yourself and the pediatricians should be advising patients or parents to do to take care of their their children before that first tooth eruption before they hit the one year milestone when they should be seeing a dentist.

So I think it's really important to desensitize the mouth, so even as early as 10 to 12 weeks, you can introduce a teether, start using a gum brush to have the babies are getting used to the feeling of being clean. This makes it easier for them to tolerate tooth brushing once they get older. We find that once parents if they try to introduce tooth brushing with a toddler, it can be a meltdown. toddlers can be a challenging, you know mental and emotional stage to begin with, and changing up the routine that is really hard. So starting early on, within that first year to brush the teeth is really important. So once that first tooth comes in, you want to introduce a rice or smear size amount of fluoride toothpaste. Don't be concerned about the swallowing. The toxicity level for fluoride is very, very, very high, it won't be a problem at that stage. And then especially once we introduce foods and other liquids other than water or milk, want to make sure nothing sits on the teeth for too long, basically. So even if we're going to bed at night, not sleeping with a bottle is really important not having sugar for a long period of time on the teeth. Those things like that are important.

Well wonderful for people, whether they're parents or medical professionals looking for more information on the resources you described in first grade and where can they go.

. And on social media, our handle is @firstgrin. Everything's evidence based, parsed down so it's tangible, easy for busy parents. I know how it is. And I don't want this to take up a lot of bandwidth. But I do want it to be a consideration to make your and your child's life easier.

Well, Dr. Lerman thank you so much for sharing your story and for all the work you're doing to help new parents and their children start off their lives with a great oral health routine.

An interview with Ashley Lerman, DDS, pediatric dentist and founder of Firstgrin, a company working to educate and provide resources to parents and pediatricians to enhance early childhood dental health.

Whether looking at an individual clinic or taking a macro-perspective that includes dental product manufacturers, providing dental care is a resource-heavy undertaking. But that might not always be the case.

Although some resources are required and some waste will be generated by both dental clinics and the companies making the products those clinics use, a new focus on sustainability throughout the dental industry is helping make it possible to provide top-tier oral health care while operating as efficiently as possible and significantly reducing waste.

When it comes to the practice level, there are numerous ways to reduce water and energy use. Replacing single-use plastics with compostable or biodegradable alternatives can also reduce a practice’s environmental footprint. Another approach to reducing dental waste is to prevent dental disease in the first place. This is one of the concepts underpinning the Sustainability in Dentistry program founded by the FDI World Dental Federation and Dentsply Sirona. The program includes online courses, sustainability resources, and an annual global sustainability award. With an approach focused on evidence-based oral care and prevention combined with guidance on steps to improve sustainability within a dental practice, this global effort aims to empower dental professionals to make a change that affects their practice. More details on the Sustainability in Dentistry program are available at 

fdiworlddental.org/sustainability-dentistry

Sustainably Manufacturing Dental Products

It might be a buzzword and often good for public relations, but that doesn’t mean corporate efforts to make operations more sustainable aren’t also good for business. Dental manufacturers have been making major efforts to reduce their use of resources and to decrease waste and harmful emissions. Here are some sustainability success statistics from around the dental industry.

There was a 15% reduction in both water withdrawal at warehouses and manufacturing plants and scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

There were 1,200,000 to 1,500,000 gallons of water per year saved by operational changes that focused on efficient use of resources.

There was a 74% mitigation of carbon impact from shipping parcels by next-day air through a partnership with United Parcel Service, making ground transportation possible.

There were 4.7 tons less of plastic used each year after changing product packaging from plastic to regular and carton paper materials.

A total of 72% of the energy used at company facilities in 2021 came from 100% renewable sources, including solar and hydroelectric power.

Almost 50% less polymer is used to make an aligner today compared with aligners made in 2016. Additionally, 33% less resin is used to make 3D-printed models for aligner production.

There were 1.2 million pounds less of carbon dioxide emissions released in 2023 when compared with 2022. This reduction is due to a new efficient air compressor system in a production facility.

Sustainability Report 2022. Dentsply Sirona. 2022. Accessed March 12, 2024. 

https://www.dentsplysirona.com/content/dam/master/corporate/merchandise/documents/CORP-document-2022-sustainability-report-EN.pdf

Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report 2024. Ultradent. 2024. Accessed March 12, 2024. 

https://assets.ctfassets.net/wfptrcrbtkd0/5jrCFrL1g5FBrOrDCjf4mM/ada05959d110e7895edb5cd1749899e9/UPI_SRS_Report_2024.pdf

2022 Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Report. Henry Schein. 2022. Accessed March 12, 2024. 

https://www.henryschein.com/us-en/images/corporate/2022CSRReport.pdf

GC Group Global CSR Report 2023. GC Dental. 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. 

https://www.gc.dental/america/sites/america.gc.dental/files/documents/2023-10/gc-csr-2023.pdf

Corporate Social Responsibility Review 2022. Ivoclar. 2022. Accessed March 13, 2024. 

https://www.ivoclar.com/GLOBAL%20-%20MEDIA/Corporate%20Content/Responsibility/CSR%20Report%202022_EN.pdf

Corporate social responsibility. Align Technology. Accessed March 13, 2024. 

https://www.aligntech.com/about/corporate_social_responsibility

2023 Corporate Responsibility Report. Midmark. 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. 

https://www.midmark.com/docs/default-source/documents/2023-corporate-responsibility-report.pdf

Making a dental practice more sustainable can take many forms, and any effort that makes a positive impact is worthwhile. Here’s a look at some dental products that might be able to help with those efforts.

Curaprox Wooden Toothbrush

Trap-Eze Plaster Plus™

Bio Nitrile Powder Free Biodegradable Examination Gloves

EcoChoice Compostable Dental Flossers

BioGREEN™ Biodegradable Micro-Applicators

Sustainable Opportunities

How the dental industry is working to lighten its environmental impact.

Practicing Dentistry Sustainably

Kazunari Matoba – Former General Manager of Research and Development, J MORITA MFG CORP – Pictured with (from left to right) Root ZX II, Root ZX, Root ZX3, Root ZX mini | Image Credit: © J MORITA MFG CORP

Carrying the mantle of a standard setter is not an easy task.

This is true for the child of a hall-of-famer and it’s just as true for the next generation of an iconic dental product. So when the research and development team at J MORITA MFG CORP set out to develop what is now the Root ZX3, they knew that to live up to the legacy of the name Root ZX, the goal must be to open a new paradigm in endodontic treatment.

With the introduction of a module capable of high-frequency conduction (HFC) therapy, and the same reliable apex location technology used in every Root ZX apex locator, the Root ZX3 is designed to be just that, says Kazunari Matoba, a former general manager of research and development at J MORITA MFG CORP who oversaw the development of the Root ZX line.

“Until now, the machines that have existed in root canal treatment have been those that help the act of treatment to make the diagnosis accurate and the treatment fast and easy,” Matoba says. “The HF Module is the first product to enter a new field where by its high-frequency conduction, symptoms are expected to improve due to the natural healing process of the human body…in cases where doctors are having trouble with treatment and healing is not possible. I am excited that we have entered a new world.”

Featuring a new design with a large display and a smaller footprint, the Root ZX3 apex locator features automated calibration and a high-contrast display screen. Using impedance measurement-based technology that has been evaluated to be 97.5% accurate, it can be trusted to provide accurate measurement of file depth during endodontic treatment. A versatile device, it can be used in wet or dry canals.

Getting to that world was not a straight line, but neither was the development of the Root ZX technology that functions in any canal environment and provides accuracy that’s been measured at 97.5%.

 The accuracy is the key detail that makes the Root ZX apex locator so important, and Matoba says that when looking to create a solution for dentists, it was clear that precise, accurate measurement could make endodontic treatment easier and more predictable for everyone.

“It all started when I met doctors,” he says. “You can’t do proper development without knowing clinical practice. Endodontics is a field where the best solution for treatment is completely different from person to person. If you ask 5 doctors a question, sometimes all 5 will give you completely different answers. I was also troubled at that time. I wondered who was the most correct.”

Launched in 1991, the original Root ZX and its successors have been shown to be highly reliable systems for accurate measurement of the location of the apical constriction to determine the working length of the canal. Still, many endodontic treatments are performed today without an electronic apex locator, with clinicians using radiographs, tactile sensation, and other methods to determine the working length.

Early generations of apex locator technology did not provide the accuracy or reliability required for clinical use due to moisture in the canal or other issues.

 Using a technology called the ratio method that takes measurements of the ratio between the impedances of 2 electronic currents, the Root ZX solved many of the problems with earlier generations of electronic apex locator solutions and lived up to the promise of a technology dreamed up more than 70 years earlier.

Levitt Ellsworth Custer, DDS, was the first to describe using electric current to measure when an endodontic file reaches the apex of the root canal in a 1918 article in 

The Journal of the National Dental Association

. An early proponent of the use of electrical technologies in the practice of dentistry, Dr Custer did not see his apex location theories put to use in his lifetime.

 However, the concept was further tested in the 1940s and finally launched as a commercial product in 1969. Unfortunately, the first generation of apex locators used alternating current and resistance and were less accurate than radiographic measurement. A second wave of technologies based on single-frequency impedance measurements were also shown to be unreliable.

The Root ZX was among a third generation of apex locators, and as noted above, it offered the reliability necessary for clinical use. Since that time multiple new technologies for apex location and canal length measure have been developed, but the Root ZX remains a standard bearer for apex locator accuracy today, and technology that powers the original Root ZX is a key component of all of its successors.

“We don’t intend to say that we’re completely redesigning the model,” Matoba says. “The apex locator’s bar in the Root ZX3 has been greatly improved to shift smoothly. It is very easy to use. However, even as we have made these improvements, we have not changed from the original Root ZX all the way through.”

Over the years new versions of the Root ZX have found innovative ways to incorporate this foundational apex locator technology. In 1996 the Tri Auto ZX integrated apex location technology directly into an endodontic handpiece. Then in 2007, the Root ZX II added the possibility of integrating different modules into the device.

This was followed in 2009 by the Root ZX mini, which put the same apex location technology in a small and convenient form factor. In 2014 the OTR Module made it possible to connect a low speed handpiece directly to the Root ZX II. In 2017 the Tri Auto ZX2 upgraded the integrated endodontic handpiece–apex locator solution. Now the Root ZX3 is joining this legacy.

What the Root ZX3 and HFC Therapy Accomplish

While the core apex locator technology remains the same, the Root ZX3 packs everything into a smaller footprint with a larger display screen featuring 40 indicator bars providing real-time readings of the file location within the canal and an audio signal to provide warnings even when the clinician is not looking at the device.

Those upgrades improve the core function of the device, but the HF Module that attaches to the back of the Root ZX3 brings a new treatment approach to endodontics. HFC therapy can be used to cauterize and coagulate tissue, which can be used to create hemostasis during a pulpectomy. The therapy can also be applied during retreatment to cauterize infected tissue. The module can also be used for gingival procedures including gingivectomies, gingival polypectomies, and gingival retraction.

HF Therapy

The HFC therapy treatment can be performed using HF endo files or specialized electrode tips depending on the procedure, and multiple modes and output settings can be used to customize the treatment. The technology takes advantage of the apex locator to show where the file is in the canal, and the HFC is used to heat the tip of the file to cauterize or ablate tissue.

Matoba says the work he and his team produced with the Root ZX3 is a great accomplishment. He hopes HFC can help provide treatment to situations that were previously challenging to deal with. Still, he believes even more progress can be made in endodontic technologies.

“The most important thing is to prevent endodontic treatment,” he says. “I think it is our job to prevent endodontic treatment by utilizing the comprehensive capabilities of J MORITA MFG CORP. We are probably at the forefront of this kind of prevention, so our ideal vision for the future of the endodontic field is to create preventive machines that will prevent endodontic diseases from occurring.”

Guise GM, Goodell GG, Imamura GM. In vitro comparison of three electronic apex locators. 

. 2010;36(2):279-281. doi:10.1016/j.joen.2009.09.016

Gordon MP, Chandler, NP. Electronic apex locators. 

Gutmann JL. Origins of the electronic apex locator - achieving success with strict adherence to business. 

Built on the same reliable, accurate technology as the original Root ZX apex locator, the new Root ZX3 from J MORITA aims to be equally innovative with the integration of high-frequency conduction therapy.

Living Up to the Name of an Endodontic Technology Icon

The former SmileDirectClub production facility is up for sale. | Image Credit: Gordon Brothers

The dissolution of now shuttered direct-to-consumer clear aligner pioneer SmileDirectClub continues as the company’s former 3D printing and aligner production center in Antioch, Tennessee is currently up for sale.

 posted by asset liquidation company Gordon Brothers, bids are being accepted for SmileDirectClub’s former clear aligner production lines, 3D printers, and support assets. The sale notes that the intellectual property once owned by SmileDirectClub is available via other sellers.

Among the notable items listed in the sale were 7 Gen2 automated FlexLink clear aligner production lines, 1 Gen 2 automated FlexLink retainer production line, and 9 Gen 1 clear aligner production lines. These systems include thermoformers, robotic arms, laser etchers, milling machines, and more. The production center also used robotic parts sorting solutions.

Not all of the items in the sale are giant production systems. The listing also notes 675 iTero Element intraoral scanners “many of which are brand new in the box”, along with 18 3Shape R2000 scanners. Numerous 3D printers are noted in the listing including commercial-grade printers from Hewlett-Packard, and other printers from Formlabs, SprintRay, and EnvisionTEC.

The listing also mentions $10 million worth of dental supplies including putty, polishing brushes, whitening pens, and more.

The facility seems to include everything needed to operate, as it also includes $1.9 million in spare parts for the production equipment, a fully equipped machine shop, and office furniture and computer equipment.

The final notable part of the sales listing is the former SmileDirectClub research and development laboratory, which is fully equipped with 3D printers, scanners, microscopes, and other tools and testing devices.

The sale of the Tennessee production facility runs through April 1, and interested parties can scheduling a viewing of the equipment through the listing.

Asset liquidation firm Gordon Brothers recently posted a sale of the former SmileDirectClub production facility in Antioch, Tennessee, including the clear aligner production technology the now bankrupt company once used.