How Sterngold is bringing their proven expertise to dental implants [VIDEO]

One of the most senior companies in the dental lab industry is Sterngold, who traces their roots back to the 19th century. Not content to rest on their history, Sterngold continues to pursue innovation in dental implants.

We recently spoke to Ryan Mansfield, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Sterngold about his company's history, what they are excited about and what labs can expect from Sterngold in the future.

01. Sterngold has been around since the end of the 19th century. How does that legacy position you to serve the dental industry? 

Sterngold’s ability to provide its customers with industry-leading product and technical support, and manufacture high-quality products has stood the test of time. Our customers have great confidence that we will always be there for them as a trusted partner to support their businesses. Since we have been around so long, obviously many of our products are proven and reliable, but our longevity also shows that we have the ability to adapt and innovate, continuing to be on the cutting edge of laboratory and clinical Removable Solutions.  

02. In your opinion, what are the biggest trends and changes facing dental labs in 2014? 

The rapidly changing technological landscape-we have benefited from more technological advancements in the field of dentistry over the last 10 years than we experienced in the previous 50 years. The advent of CAD/CAM technologies and synthetic restorative materials has significantly changed the landscape of restorative dentistry. As more and more clinicians begin utilizing advanced technologies, the lab must stay ahead of the curve to meet the clinicians’ needs and remain competitive.

Must read: Sterngold's cutting-edge new implant system

03. How is Sterngold helping labs meet those challenges head on? 

Sterngold has remained one of the most recognized and respected laboratory suppliers for over a century. This is because of ability and willingness to help our customers overcome challenges and exceed their goals. We have learned to adapt to current and future needs and demands of our customers. We currently, and will continue to, support all of our products as they relate to industry advances and bring to market new solutions to help our lab customers adapt to ever-evolving dental industry.

04. How does Sterngold help the communication between the lab and clinician when approaching an implant case? 

As a manufacturer of both dental implants and implant-related lab components, our customers represent both the clinical and laboratory segments of the industry. This gives Sterngold a unique perspective of both segments and how they interact with one another. Through our Technical, Education and Customer Service departments, we provide both technical lab and clinical support. This allows us to be versatile in supporting all aspects of an implant case, from surgical placement to the final restoration. We also provide ongoing educational support in all aspects on implant dentistry.

05. What new solutions has Sterngold released to the market that you’re excited about?

We continue to bring products to market that offer both labs and doctors versatile options for stabilizing full and partial dentures. We have recently introduced our Sterngold Implant System, allowing doctors to place versatile implant diameter options (2.2, 3.25, 3.3, 4.1mm) with one simple surgical kit. This system supports stud attachments, the trusted ERA and the New ORA systems, as well as the new chairside bar system, SFI Bar. These attachment systems, the ERA, ORA and SFI, are also available for all other popular implant systems.

Next page: How does the Sterngold system fit into the lab workflow?

06. How does this fit into a lab’s workflow? 

Sterngold offers versatile options to the clinician and lab for stabilizing full or partial dentures on teeth and implants. We provide different implant options to meet clinical needs and flexible removable solutions for labs and doctors, including several stud attachment and bar systems. We also manufacture lab components, such as analogs, impression copings and transfers. Sterngold also offers lab consumables, such as the industry-leading attachment pickup material, EZ Pickup. Other consumables we offer include soft denture reline material, temporary material, custom tray and base plate material, lab putty and duplicating material. Our Educational department also offers ongoing product and technical support on all materials.

07. Where do you see an opportunity to make an impact with your implant system? 

I think we can continue to make an impact by understanding the needs and challenges faced by both labs and doctors from the restorative aspect of their cases. There are so many implant companies out there, and many of them are primarily interested in selling the implants themselves, and the restorative considerations are an afterthought. At Sterngold, we consider these cases from the restoration down, as opposed to the implant up. We will continue to do our best to provide innovations and solutions, not only with implant fixtures, but also attachments systems to provide the most complete package of removable solutions.

08. What differentiates your product line from that of competitors? 

Sterngold continually does its best to offer the highest level of support in our unique space in the industry. We have the ability to provide everything that the doctor and lab needs to stabilize a denture. We feature the most extensive catalog of implant attachment options, provide implant options for surgical implantologists and offer the restorative consumables to bring it all together.

09. What kind of support and education does Sterngold provide to lab techs and clinicians who adopt the Sterngold Implant System? 

Again, Sterngold is unique in continuing to provide the most ongoing education in the market relating to attachment dentistry on implants and teeth. For years, we have promoted and supported the extensive Three-day Attachment Seminar at our Massachusetts headquarters. Throughout the year, we support CE events around the country, proctored by our own CDT support personnel and technical and clinical KOLs. Sterngold know provides regularly scheduled and customized online training, and we will be featuring a robust library of online educational resources on our new website, scheduled to launch in September.

Related article: Who is REALLY looking for information on dental implants?

10. Where do you see Sterngold going? 

Sterngold strives to continue to reinvent itself. Our R&D pipeline remains robust. We have several new implant, attachment and CAD/CAM solutions in development. Our goal is to remain in front of the pack as an innovator in removable dentistry, further develop our surgical implant product offerings and provide more fixed restorative options to our customers. Our goal is for Sterngold to be even bigger and better for the next 100 years to come!