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DENTAL
PRODUCTS
REPORT.COM
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December 2014
The best of 2014
DPR Technology Editor Dr. John Flucke
breaks down his favorite new product picks.
[
Dr. John Flucke
]
DPR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR DR. JOHN FLUCKE
is lucky enough to try
numerous products out in his operatories. Here are f ve he put to
work in 2014 that left a lasting impression on him and have the
potential to help just about any practice.
There are lots of things I love about my job at Dental Prod-
ucts Report. I get to meet incredibly bright and driven peo-
ple, I get to travel to meetings that allow me to see the latest
and greatest in our great profession, and I get to test and
experiment with the products and gear that will be available
to my readers in the next year or two.
Every year, I am lucky enough to get a chance to work with
(and sometimes troubleshoot or even break) new products
that are in development. The best of those products then
end up in this article, which the magazine has chosen to call
Flucke’s Top 5 Test Drives.
TOP
TEST DRIVES
NEW PRODUCTS
5
[
BIEN-AIR
]
iOptima & iChiropro
These two devices are electric handpiece systems. The iOptima is for restorative and endo,
while the iChiropro is for implants. What makes these handpiece systems so amazing is that
they interface with an iPod (iOptima) and an iPad (iChiropro). The ability to interface with a
portable computing platform means that the handpieces are totally programmable. They
are run by apps which allows parameters such as torque, rpm speed, etc., to be determined
by the manufacturer of a bur, endo fi le, implant, etc. If a new implant or endo fi le comes to
market, those products and their specifi cations are added to the app. When that product is
selected in the app, those parameters are controlled by the iPod or iPad and everything runs
exactly as the manufacturer specifi ed. The ability to have a continually updated handpiece is
“outside the box” thinking and makes these handpieces game changers.
bienair.com
[
ORASCOPTIC
]
Eye Zoom
Most dentists are now working with some type of magnifi cation.
However, the surgical telescopes we now wear have one limitation
and that is a fi xed degree of magnifi cation. Once you put them on,
you see everything in the fi eld at whatever level of magnifi cation you
specifi ed at purchase. Now what if you could change that magnifi ca-
tion level at will? That is the idea behind the Eye Zoom. The barrels of
the telescopes can be turned and that causes the magnifi cation level
to change. The scopes can be adjusted from 3.0x to 5.0x, allowing a
fi eld of view that varies between viewing a quadrant and viewing two
teeth. I began working with a prototype of the system in May and was
soon hooked. I think you will be hooked too.
orascoptic.com
[
DENTAPURE
]
DentaPure
This is a very cool idea that literally applies rocket science to your
dental units. As we all know, it is important to keep the dental unit
water lines as clean as possible. Most offi ces are now using self-
contained systems where the water is supplied through a bottle. The
usual protocol is to put a tablet in the bottle that dissolves and helps kill
bacteria. DentaPure is a fi lter that attaches to the water line inside the
bottle. As water passes through the DentaPure cartridge, it is purifi ed
using iodinated resin beads that kills bacteria. This technology was
developed by NASA to ensure water consumed in space is free of bac-
teria, viruses and other harmful organisms. There is no risk of allergic
reaction, the cartridge is easy to install and it lasts for a year.
dentapure.com
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December 2014
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[
ULTRADENT PRODUCTS
]
Endo-Eze FIND
I’ve mentioned before that we battle counter space,
or “Countertop Real Estate” as I call it, to accom-
modate all of our countertop equipment. This is
especially true when performing endodontic therapy.
To help solve this problem, Ultradent Products Inc.
has released an Electronic Apex Locator (EAuL)
called “Endo-Eze FIND.” The device is about the size
of a credit card and the thickness of perhaps a stack
of three or four credit cards. It has a very clear and easy to read color LCD screen
and is battery powered. I have found the FIND to be easy to use and very, very
accurate. If you perform endo in your practice, need a great apex locator, and
want to give yourself plenty of counter space, call your Ultradent sales representa-
tive and have him or her bring the FIND by your offi ce for a demonstration. I think
you’ll be impressed.
ultradent.com
[
DEXIS
]
CariVu
In January, I began working with the DEXIS CariVu device.
The CariVu is a visual
caries detection system that connects to the operatory computer via USB. It uses
an Infrared beam of light that penetrates the tooth from the buccal and lingual and
illuminates the clinical crown. The device functions in a similar way to an intraoral
camera. By that I mean, the device provides a live image of the transilluminated
tooth on the computer monitor showing a crystal clear image in black and white.
The transillumination causes healthy tooth structure to appear white and carious
areas to appear gray or black, similar to a radiograph. Caries can be seen around
and under resin restorations, and cracks are remarkably visible. The device
requires DEXIS software and the software can compare CariVu images with the
most recent radiographs of the same area. Contact DEXIS for a demo.
dexis.com
WRAPPING UP
So there you have it, my Top 5 Test Drives of 2014. I love testing and
researching products and I hope you f nd some value in my efforts.
Here’s hoping that 2015 shows just as much innovation. Somehow I
think 2015 will be even better!
Interested? Circle Product Card No. 56
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