Kulzer Launches, 3Shape Updates, Among Many Highlights at Lab Day

There was plenty of activity at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2022 on Saturday, including a crowd of attendees checking out some new products being showcased by Kulzer.

Kulzer unveiled its new cara Print 4.0 pro 3D printer at the event at the Hyatt Regency, and also debuted its cara Print LEDcure device.

The all-rounder cara Print 4.0 pro is a 3D printer developed by dental experts to be part of a comprehensive, thoroughly tested workflow. It offers technician a faster, more economical method of producing polymer-based dental appliances in-house.

Compared to its predecessor, this new printer offers a bigger building platform for even greater productivity, 385 nm LEDs for extra stability in terms of colors and properties, as well as a new “smooth technology” that delivers smooth surfaces without any visible layers.

Experienced dental technicians designed the cara Print LEDcure to perfectly compliment Kulzer’s 3D-printing workflow, covering all post-curing needs in a reliable, yet simple process.

The fully mirrored illumination chamber contains high-power LEDs covering 2 peak wavelengths. It offers space for up to 4-5 full-sized models on a transparent turntable, so there’s no need to flip the printed objects and they don’t come out sticky. Its smart air heating system helps to reduce the curing times while creating a stable thermal environment for more complete bond formation and helping to assure the required mechanical properties in terms of flexural strength, elongation at break and edge strength, according to Kulzer

3Shape Latest and Greatest

3Shape’s Rune Fisker, VP Product Strategy, Business Unit Director, Dental Lab and Dental Clinic, covered a variety of updates during a presentation Saturday.

He showcased the features for the company’s “Generation Red” scanners, which includes the E1, E2, E3 and E4 models, and also discussed the latest developments in digital dentures, 3Shape Unite, 3Shape Automate and additional software updates.

On a non-dental, but alarming note, Fisker noted that 3Shape has about 350 employees in the capital of Ukraine, and we all hope for their safety during these turbulent times.

3Shape research indicates that clinicians sending digital impressions has increased five-fold since 2015, jumping from 6% to 30%. Because of this, “labs need to be fantastic at receiving digital scans,” Fisker says.

3Shape Unite is the company’s new open platform designed to bring world-leading dental companies, solutions and labs together. Founding partners of the platform include Straumann, Henry Schein and Ivoclar. There’s no more switching back and forth: with the platform you can manage all your cases with choice and ease. With thousands of Unite Store apps available, labs can expand their offering with a vast selection of lab and partner apps for routine, in-demand and specialist treatments all in one place.

Fisker adds that 3Shape Unite is similar to shopping with Amazon and that by using the platform with the 3Shape TRIOS scanners labs can make their own customized order forms for the lab so that “all labs can build this consumer experience for dentists.”

He demonstrated how a lab can easily use 3Shape software, select for example, ClearCorrect, and then work with that invisible aligner software in the cloud.

Dental Systems 2022 software currently works with TRIOS cases, but plans are in the works for the extensive software to also work with gypsum cases and even third-party scanners down the road.

Features of this new software include virtual preparation, Web Case 3D Preview, denture on implants and new sculpt features. It integrates with Dentsply Sirona cases directly into Dental Manager, and the software also now integrates with LabStar management systems and others including Magic Touch, Labtrac Dental and Jenmar.

3Shape Automate, launched one year ago, features AI design and has produced 400,000 designs with a 91% accuracy rate, according to 3Shape. It was originally released for use on crowns but now the “completely hands technology” is available for nightguards with more indications coming down the road.

With splints cases booming, Fisker suggested anyone wanting to learn how to increase their splint cases should watch YouTube videos from 3Shape Academy’s Splint Studio section, and to participate in the 3Shape Facebook study group.