I have to admit, I get way more excited than most general practitioners over extraction forceps. When I first went to dental school I had every intention of going into Oral Surgery. Before dental school I was the surgical assistant to an amazing oral surgeon at the VA Hospital and I absolutely loved it. During dental school, when I got assigned to the Los Angeles Christian Health Center’s Dental Clinic on Skid Row I could not have been any happier. Many of my classmates were scared of the possibility of being assigned to a clinic on Skid Row, but I was excited when I found out it was my assignment! As you can imagine, many days extractions there were a majority of my schedule… it was great! Life took me in a different direction and I did not go into oral surgery, but I still love all things surgical. When I was practicing, I would get more excited over an extraction in my schedule over a crown prep any day!
We recently received the Banditt Xtra Grip Forceps (A-Titan) here at the Dental Advisor. I was still a clinical consultant during the A-Titan Plus Series Forceps evaluation, and have to admit I loved them. I had my assistant order me a couple more sets after that evaluation and, in my public health clinic, my A-Titan forceps and I extracted a ton of teeth. According to the manufacturer these new forceps are maximally effective, minimally invasive, and the atraumatic Banditt Xtra Grip forceps reduce hard and soft tissue damage. Featuring a Diamond Nano composite coating, the unique properties of natural diamonds provide a high micro hardness and an abrasive wear resistance for up to 50 years. The corrosion resistant forceps are also non-reflective in your patients’ mouth. Biomechanical grooves have been added to the beaks to provide an unparalleled grip. Holes in handle reduces hand fatigue and provide a better tactile feel. Hand crafted in Germany, the forceps have a warranty that will span the lifetime of your practice.
Notice the serations on the 150 XG forcep
Nice fit in my female medium size hand
150 and 151 Banditt Xtra Grip forceps
Notice the long, thin beaks
The beak shape allows for a low, sub-gingival grip
Solid grip on a wet, extracted tooth
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team? – An improvement on an already great product. – The shape of the beaks definitely allows you to get low on the tooth and helps minimize breakage. – I have medium hands for a woman and these felt great in my hands. Not too heavy but solid, and well balanced. – I got a great grip on the extracted tooth. Even though it was wet, once I gripped it with the forceps it was in there solid. – I like the black, Diamond Nano composite coating, but I personally want to see how it holds up after repeat autoclaving. – Will the serrations may give you that extra grip, but could they also get in the way? We want to evaluate them to find out!!
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for a possible clinical evaluation in an upcoming issue!
http://DentalAdvisor.comI took a hands-on endodontic course sponsored by Kavo/Kerr a couple of years ago. It was on my birthday so I made it my birthday gift to myself (yes, I am a dental nerd). They had the elements Free Obturation System at that course (the predecessor to this system). Mind you it was on plastic teeth, but I loved it! I could not convince the public health clinic I was working at the invest in one… instead they told me “we have a warm vertical condensation system somewhere around here”. Can you tell where this is going, LOL? The assistant who had been there the longest found it for me… it looked like something Dr. Frankenstein would have used to bring his monster to life. Cords everywhere, dials and levers… the instructions were 100% 1970’s! I never got that completely working so I stuck with lateral condensation during my years at the public health clinic. It was probably for the best… I was not trying to go for the mad scientist look in my operatory.
At the Dental Advisor, we recently recieved the elements IC Obturation System (Kavo/Kerr). According to the manufacturer the cordless elements™ IC Obturation System combines a Downpack heat source with a Backfill extruder. The Downpack device provides fast heating of the heat plugger with precisely controlled temperature and timing, making it suitable for single-motion downpack obturation of the apical portion of the root canal. Utilizing single-use gutta percha cartridges, the ergonomic Backfill device has a motorized extruder system for precise temperature and speed control for a 3-dimensional obturation of the root canal system. Both handpieces are charged using inductive charging technology.
Playing with the downpack heat source
Downpack heat source
Dr. Bunek playing with the backfill device
Cartridge level indicator
Playing with backfill device
dispensing gutta percha
Gutta percha dispensing
More playing with the backfill device… yes I am a nerd
By about the 3rd time you see this .gif you will catch the fact that it is filling with gutta percha
Easy to bend tip on backfill device. System comes with a bending tool as well
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team and our editorial board? – This system incorporates small improvements on an already good system that make your endo procedure that much nicer. – The cartridge level indicator is an amazing idea… everything should have level indicators, don’t you think? – I liked that you can put the cartridge in at different positions so you can easily see the display. – Odd that you cannot set these up on end. They are angled on the bottom where the inductive charger area is and so you have to lay them on their side if they are on your tray.
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for our clinical evaluation result in an upcoming issue!
Suction tips just don’t always fit where you want them. Even those little surgical ones. Especially when you are just trying to keep that sulcular fluid or a bit of heme out of an area and you end up having to rinse it out into the big suction.
Recently we received the Transcodent Luer Lock Handpiece (Sulzer) here at the Dental Advisor. According to the manufacturer, this suction, when combined with the suction needles, is used for precise evacuation in difficult areas with maximal field of view. It can also be used for passive irrigation techniques such as root canal treatments. It is made of stainless steel, is autoclavable, and fits on the saliva ejector evacuation hose. It has four different size suction needles that thread onto the handpiece and are disposable.
Transcodent attached to small evacuation line
Transcodent in unit
Tips are bendable for maximum reach-ability
Transcodent being used for precise suctioning
Just the Transcodent Leur Lock Handpiece without a tip
With a suction needle
The four size suction needles
Transcodent with all four size suction needles
The diameters of all four suction needles
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team and our editorial board? – We love the option of 4 different diameter tips. – Looks like it could potentially be great for endo, but would all the sodium hypochlorite affect the lumen of the stainless steel handpiece? – This is one of those products that, as an assistant, I would want to keep in the top drawer of my mobile cart. It is one of those things you don’t need every day, but when when the situation is just right it could be a life saver to be able to whip out fast. – I originally thought that this could be great for perio surgery, but I wonder if even the largest diameter suction needle is not too small… tissue could clog the little tips pretty quickly but then again you could just grab another one. Any thought out there? (add a comment below) – Dr. Molinari, if you are out in California reading this what do you think about infection control of this product? I am thinking that with the right pipe cleaner you are golden. Would you agree? My sample did not come with a pipe cleaner but it would certainly be a must.
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for a possible clinical evaluation in an upcoming issue!
What honestly, personally keeps me from using rubber dam more often? The clamp… I hate clamping teeth! Maybe it is just me, but I always tend to get the gingiva. Then when you remove it, it looks like two little vampire teeth marks on their gingiva that I just know is going to be super sore later. Especially if I am just doing one tooth… now add the hassle of all the parts and pieces for one tooth. I know it’s the gold standard of isolation, but with the exception of endo, honestly… I usually go without.
Here at the Dental Advisor we recently received MiniDam (DMG). According to the manufacturer, the MiniDam is a latex-free gingival protection device that protects the proximal area during treatment – quickly and easily. The MiniDam’s design ensures that the working area is kept relatively dry while protecting the gingiva from the materials that could cause harm, such as etching gel. It can be placed in just a few seconds and stabilizes itself without the use of clamps, while still allowing open access and unobstructed view of the treatment area.
Placing MiniDam on model teeth
It took a few practice runs, but we got it on that fast!
Placing through contact areas
Final placement on model
Placed in my mouth (yes, I need some occlusals… anyone know a good dentist? LOL)
Another view of it on my teeth
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team and Editorial Board? – Great idea! Now I have a solution for protecting the interproximal of one tooth. – You still have to obviously prevent saliva from coming up around the MiniDam so we used cotton rolls. – It was tough to get through my tight contacts so we flossed it down. – Definitely did not work on mandibular anteriors.
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for a possible clinical evaluation in an upcoming issue!
When I was an assistant at the VA hospital we were JCAHO accredited. Although CDC recommends barriers on air/water syringes, this accreditation required we put barriers on just about EVERYTHING. My least favorite was the air/water syringe barriers. They were always a slippery plastic that especially made retracting with the syringe a pain. I was never upset when the sleeve would “accidentally” slide down the hose and I would just disinfect my syringe at the end of the procedure, LOL.
Here at Dental Advisor, we recently received the Armor Air/Water Tip & Sleeve Combo (Pac-Dent). According to the manufacturer, this set of air/water syringe tip and barrier sleeve minimizes preparation time by combining air/water syringe tip and sleeve placements into a one-step operation. Features include the acclaimed disposable syringe tip with a 6 air-core design, and features a non-slip sleeve made with special copolymer film that provides superior infection control.
Armor as it comes out of the package
Armor initially being placed on air/water syringe
Syringe completely covered with Armor
Complete coverage at tip insertion area, also notice the texture of the cover
Spraying syringe with Armor on syringe
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team and our editorial board? – Where was this when I was at the VA hospital!?! The texture on the sleeve makes it much less slippery than traditional barrier sleeves. – Great idea making a combo that can all be placed easily in one swoop. – We would like to see this with different air/water syringe tips to fit on different attachments. The images shown above with the yellow syringe tip insertion area is for photos only. It only fits on the push to lock systems (shown in the spraying image). – Once you are actually retracting and things get wet how much less slippery will the sleeve actually be?
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for a possible clinical evaluation in an upcoming issue!
How come it never fails that when you are doing endo on a patient they wear black that day or when doing oral surgery they wear white? When doing endo, when I was an assistant and now as the doctor I am hyper aware of that little drip hanging on the end of the syringe full of sodium hypochloride. Are they going to leave with a polka dot shirt or can I whip the syringe over to the tooth in time? Bibs help, but there are always exposed areas as it rotates around on the patient or the shoulders… enter GantGuard Dental and Surgical Bibs.
Here at the Dental Advisor, we recently received GantGuard Dental and Surgical Bibs (Gant Medical). What makes these bib unique? Actually several things. For one, they have a cutout for the neck so they can wrap around and stick onto the patient’s back. This allows for more coverage around the neck and shoulders (where that sodium hypochloride drip is coming around). They are nearly twice the size of a regular dental bib for extra coverage and come in surgical length that actually goes down as far the the patient’s lap! They stick directly onto the patient via an adhesive that does not have strips that need to be pulled off over the adhesive. Finally, they have a very unique delivery system. They come in rolls and can be dispensed from a wall dispenser or a portable box dispenser!
GantGuard Dental Bib
Bib wraps around patient’s shoulders and adheres to their back
Self-adhesive
Pull apart to activate adhesive, no strips to pull off
Surgical length goes all the way down to patient lap
Pediatric size (thanks Shelby for demoing the kid version too since there were no kids in the clinic that day, LOL!)
GantGuard comes in rolls
Wall mounted dispenser
Portable box dispenser
Neck must be removed prior to placement (left) plastic backing (right)
Adhesive on the bib that gets activated once separated
What were the Initial Insights of the Dental Advisor team? – Great patient coverage not just length wise but also wrapping around to the patient’s back. – Neck opening may not be suitable for patients with large necks or patients wearing hoodies. – Wall dispenser is a fantastic idea! – Opening the bib to expose the adhesive properly requires some practice. You have to “snap it open” and we ruined quite a few bibs trying to perfect this technique.
What do our Clinical Evaluators and their patients think about this product once it’s used in their offices? Look for a possible clinical evaluation in an upcoming issue!
