Bored with ironing?

Left: Rowenta have launched an advanced high-speed rechargeable electric toothbrush.

The Rowenta Dentasonic uses gentle high-speed microtation with 28,000 brushing movements per minute. The unique Triple Combination Brushing system consisting of three replacement clips, ensures that tooth surfaces are efficiently and effectively removed of plaque without damage to gums.

There are three different brush clips:

  • the Softspeed Clip with varying length of bristles to clean and polish all tooth surfaces,

  • the Microbrush Clip for cleaning between teeth, bridgework, around fixed braces and along the gum line and,

  • the Interfloss Clip for safe and easy flossing.

Rowenta's 'singles' unit in pale blue and white is priced £69.99 and, for 'couples' the chrome handle and white base unit comes with double the accessories and is priced at £79.99.

Both toothbrushes have a charge time of 60 minutes and come with a removable dishwasher-proof storage box for accessories.

Reader response number: 053

Gotta wear shades!

Dentsply present Calibra — a system of resin composite cements, combining the aesthetic appearance that patients demand with the strength and properties clinicians have come to expect from resin cements.

The photo-initiator of the base paste allows a command-cure in areas where light is accessible, and the chemical initiator ensures thorough curing in areas where light is not accessible, for example under PFM crowns. The glass filler provides high compression strength and resistance to tensile fatigue. Calibra is practically insoluble in the oral environment.

At present, the system includes:

  • five shades of base paste which can be used on their own as light-curing materials,

  • two unpigmented catalyst pastes, in high and regular viscosities, and

  • try–in pastes in five shades that correspond to those of the base shades.

These try–in pastes facilitate the selection of the final cement shade.

Reader response number: 051

Pricing makes perfect

Colgate has recently made pricing cards available to support the retailing of their products within the practice environment.

The use of the price cards will create a clearly labelled display from which patients may purchase the products recommended to them by their dental professional, thereby encouraging compliance as soon as they leave the practice.

If you feel that Colgate price cards would improve your practice retailing please contact your territory manager or Bev and Carrie on 01483 401 901.

Reader response number: 052

More mobility

Greenmed Ltd have introduced the Karrident Micadent II compact air abrasion unit, designed to give the dentist complete control over tooth preparation without the need to purchase costly additional compressors, suction units or computer controlled systems.

The units are based around a mixing chamber for the propellant gas and 27 micron aluminium oxide powder. Control of tooth cutting is provided by a needle valve to adjust the working pressure between 40 and 160 psi, together with 5 tips from 0.3 to to 0.5 mm diameter in 0.05 increments.

The system is based on a mobile cart with built-in venturi secondary suction and linked to a nitrogen cylinder with reducing valves to give the clean, dry, oil free propellant necessary for air abrasion.

Reader response number: 054

Tip-off!

Microtip applicators from Microbrush are now available in a new plastic container. The container holds 500 colour-coded Microtip applicators and four double-ended, autoclavable handles.

The double-ended handle eliminates the need to look for a second applicator to finish procedures.

Microtip applicators are bendable for application of materials in hard-to-reach areas. Available in either regular size or fine size, the non-linting, non-absorbent tips hold solution in suspension until applied for neater application.

Reader response number: 055

This comic does good impressions!

Kerr (UK) Ltd are distributing a comic to launch their new hydrophilic impression material, Take 1.

It tells the story of a super hero called Captain X-act who protects dentists from the evil villains that are hell-bent on causing havoc for the patient's impression with excessive salivating, cheap imitations and slumping.

Captain X-act's main weapon is Take 1, a polyvinyl impression material that is truly hydrophilic offering the dentist excellent surface energy. It is available in regular and fast set.

It uses a bimodal filler system allowing the material to be stretched around undercuts without tearing or deformation and, a series of colours means easy-to-read impressions.

The Take 1 kit comes in 2 types of tray material (regular & rigid), wash and a medium/monophase, and comprises of 4 cartridges, extruder gun and mixing tips.

Reader response number: 058

Putty in your hands

Kettanbac's crown and bridge impression range consists of Panasil putty, Panasil Contact Plus and Monopren Transfer. Precise selection criteria of raw materials gives Panasil putty unique flowability enabling smooth impressions to be taken. There is an option of 3 types of putty — standard, soft and fast set — providing the widest choice with Contact Plus Light Body offering special handling qualities in terms of flow, reproduction and working times. Monopren Transfer is a monophase material suited for pickup impression work in implant cases or in general/prosthetic use where it may also be employed in conjunction with Contact Plus.

Both Mucropren Soft — the chair side permanent soft reline material with a patented bonding system, and Monopren Transfer are currently available as part of Panadent's Autumn Space Chimp 2000 and Caffe Latte drinks companion set offer.

Reader response number: 056

Solid as a rock

Ivoclar-Vivadent introduce two new addition cured silicones. Occlufast Rock is an extra rigid addition silicone bite registration material with excellent dimensional stability, offering a rapid 60 second set. Elite H-D Super Light, an extra low viscosity wash to be used in combination with Elite H-D putty.

Elite H-D Super Light offers fluidity and precision as a perfecting wash and has a fast setting time of 4 minutes giving a convenient working time for the dentist and a short 2 minutes 30 seconds in the mouth for the comfort of the patient.

Reader response number: 057

Accurate Algi-X

Algi-X impression material is the result of years of research and development and is accurate to within 20 microns.

Like reversible hydrocolloid, Algi-X is hydrophilic and has excellent wetting characteristics that give close marginal adaptation and very precise impressions.

However, Algi-X is simply mixed in a bowl and does not require a conditioning bath or water-cooled trays. Also, it is comparably priced to other alginates.

Reader response number: 059

Direct dispensing

The new Pentamix 2 automatic mixing machines are quick and easy to use and deliver a completely homogenously mixed impression material devoid of air bubbles. As a result final impressions are more accurate.

Dispensed directly into the tray there is minimal waste and no mess. In addition, it takes only half the time to fill an impression tray giving a longer effective working time, an advantage for multiple unit impressions.

ESPE are currently offering a variety of Special Combi Packs. Each one includes a Pentamix 2 unit and both a starter and Giant Pack of the chosen impression material — Impregum Penta, Permadyne Penta, New Formula Dimension and Dimension Penta Quick.

Reader response number: 060

Introducing Imprint

3M Dental introduce a new syringeable occlusal registration material — Imprint SBR.

Imprint SBR is mixed automatically via a dispenser and is formulated with hydrogen scavengers to instantly disperse bubbles. The resulting material is highly dimensionally stable, giving accurate detail and definition.

Imprint SBR material is stable in disinfectant solutions and the dispenser is fully autoclavable for good hygiene and infection control.

3M are offering an introductory kit containing two 48 ml cartridges of Imprint SBR, one dispenser, a pack of a dozen large mixing tips and one of 3M''s famous wordless pictorial product guides.

Reader response number: 061

Comfort's the key

Heraeus Kulzer introduce Xantopren Comfort — the first condensation silicone impression material in a cartridge that is claimed to provide excellent reproduction, due to its superior wetting properties. The material's dimensional stability offers the possibility to pour out impressions multiple times even after seven days.

Xantopren Comfort's Cartridge dispensing system provides ease of use, safe handling and direct application. The material is not inhibited by contact with rubber gloves, retraction cord or fresh composite fillings.

Xantopren Comfort is available in light and medium viscosities. Xantopren Comfort Light is a low viscosity material for two stage impressions. Xantopren Comfort Medium is a medium viscosity thixotropic material for functional impressions and is also suitable for two stage impressions and single step impressions.

Heraeus Kulzer's Comfort range of condensation silicones is completed by Optosil Comfort, a putty with additional silicone characteristics.

Reader response number: 062