3Shape and Dentsply Sirona Announce Next Step in Dental Connectivity

 Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape have taken the next step according to their agreement and now provide a seamless and secure integration of Dentsply Sirona’s Connect Case Center with 3Shape’s Dental System software. Dentists using Primescan or Omnicam intraoral scanners for digital impression-taking can now give dental labs secure access to the data through the Connect Case Center Portal. That makes it easy and efficient for dental technicians using 3Shape’s software to work more closely with their dental practice partners.

The new interfaces are available to dental laboratories that use 3Shape’s Dental System and have upgraded to Version 2021.2.

“I always want to give a patient the treatment I feel is best for them. When companies like Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape choose to work together, it gives all dentists and lab owners more opportunities, and that means better outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Alan Jurim, owner of integratedDENTAL (Woodbury, NY).

With integrated hardware and software, even highly complex treatments can be efficiently planned and executed. Simplifying digital workflows, results in a closer working relationship between labs and their dentist partners.

“Digital impressions facilitate communication. After scanning I can discuss the digital model directly with my patient. And because I now can communicate with the lab technician seamlessly, I can share the planned outcome with my patient much quicker – and that is a benefit to the patient that matters,” said Dr. Sabrina Hoffmann, a dentist in Buerstadt, Germany. “What we are experiencing today is truly the dentistry of the future.”

Last June, both companies announced an agreement between the two companies designed to improve digital dentistry and oral health. The goal is to support the dental community through the evolution of efficient, simplified, and digitally oriented workflows for dentists and dental technicians. As a first step, users of 3Shape’s TRIOS intraoral scanner gained validated and seamless access to Dentsply Sirona’s SureSmile Clear Aligners platform, which makes it much easier for 3Shape’s customers to offer patients a leading solution for treating malocclusions.

Both companies are now focusing on expanding customer access to an even wider range of technology choices.

More information about Primescan is available on the Dentsply Sirona Website: www.dentsplysirona.com/primescan

More information about 3Shape’s Lab software is available on the 3Shape website: www.3shape.com/en/promo/dentsply-sirona-connect

Due to the different approval and registration times, not all technologies and products are immediately available in all countries.

Clear Aligners Market Size Worth $17.0 billion By 2028: Grand View Research, Inc.

 The world of orthodontics has changed radically in the 2 decades since the year 2000.  The technology of computerized treatment planning and 3D printing brought for the concept of the clear aligner.  This was aided by advancements in chemistry that allowed for development of resins that could actually move teeth.

Jumping forward 20 years and we now have multiple companies competing in the clear aligner space.  The biggest boon to the clear aligner process has been the advancements and market penetration of 3D intraoral acquisition units.  In the old days traditional analog impressions were taken and sent to a company who then poured them up into plaster models.  Those models were then scanned to create a digital 3D representation of the mouth which was used to treatment plan and fabricate the aligners.

The proliferation of incredibly accurate 3D intraoral scanners has great simplified and accelerated the treatment.  Now a scan can be uploaded to the aligner company and treatment plan fabricated in hours or less.  This has allowed for "outcome simulators" to show patients anticipated outcomes almost immediately after the scan is completed.

Bringing all of this technology to bear on the subject or orthodontics has triggered explosive growth in the field.  While there are still a few cases that require brackets and wires, most cases can now be treated with a minimally invasive clear aligner solution.

Now comes a new study from Grand View Research, Inc that sees this section of the market growing to $17 billion by the year 2028.  The complete research paper can be downloaded from this link.

Here is the info the company made available from a recent press release:

The global clear aligners market is expected to reach USD 17.0 Billion by 2028, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 27.3% from 2021 to 2028. Clear aligners are invisible and discreet braces developed from thermoformed materials like copolyester or polycarbonate plastic and CAD 3D printing technology, acting as an alternative to traditional braces. According to the FDA, the clear aligner system helps in positioning the teeth by the means of continuous gentle force and is developed to treat mild to moderate malocclusion.

Key Insights & Findings:

• The teenage segment emerged as the largest consumer segment in 2019, as teenagers are increasingly opting for the orthodontic device because of its inconspicuous characteristics and comfort

• The standalone practices segment reciprocated the largest share in 2019 as standalone practitioners are readily adopting the orthodontic device and are equipped with advanced digital technologies

• North America dominated the market in 2019 owing to increasing demand for new technologies, a large pool of key players, rising prevalence of dental disorders, and advanced healthcare infrastructure in the region

• In Asia Pacific, the market is expected to reciprocate the highest CAGR over the forecast period.

Read 100 page research report, "Clear Aligners Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Age (Adult, Teens), By End-use (Hospitals, Standalone Practices, Group Practices), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

According to the WHO, malocclusion is the third most prevalent dental disease after dental caries and periodontal disease globally. Malocclusion of the teeth causes the problem of misalignment which can later lead to severe oral health complications like hard and soft tissue trauma. This condition is hereditary and can be passed from one generation to another.

Technological advancements and the growing demand for customized clear aligners are significant factors responsible for market growth. Companies like Align Technology and DynaFlex are constantly bringing in newer computer-aided technology in the market. For instance, the launch of iTero, which is a digital impression system, by Align Technology is assisting in developing accurate, effective, and customized clear aligners. The device is designed in accordance with the wearer's comfort to treat mild to moderate misalignment conditions. According to an article published in Scielo.com in November 2018, the global prevalence of Class I malocclusions is 74.7%, and of Class II malocclusions is 19.6%. The rising prevalence of these medical conditions is assisting in escalating the demand for orthodontic devices.

The demand for customized clear aligners has witnessed a burgeoning growth, especially among teenagers. For instance, the FDA-approved Invisalign clear aligners developed by Align Technology have been used in the treatment of 5.0 million people as of 2018, and worldwide Invisalign shipments to teenagers were about 87.1 thousand cases. To date, over 1.0 million teenagers have adopted this orthodontic treatment. This is because many teenagers prefer avoiding discomfort caused by metal braces and also want their braces to look aesthetically appealing. The above-mentioned factors are cumulatively assisting in robust market growth.

Grand View Research has segmented the global clear aligners market on the basis of age, end-use, and region:

• Clear Aligners Age Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

◦ Adult

◦ Teenage

• Clear Aligners End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

◦ Hospitals

◦ Stand Alone Practices

◦ Group Practices

◦ Others

• Clear Aligners Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

◦ North America

▪ U.S.

▪ Canada

◦ Europe

▪ U.K.

▪ Germany

▪ France

▪ Italy

▪ Spain

◦ Asia Pacific

▪ India

▪ Japan

▪ China

▪ Australia

▪ South Korea

◦ Latin America

▪ Brazil

▪ Mexico

▪ Argentina

◦ Middle East & Africa

▪ South Africa

▪ Saudi Arabia

▪ UAE

List of Key Players of Clear Aligners Market

• Align Technology, Inc.

• Danaher Corporation

• Institut Straumann AG

• Dentsply Sirona

• 3M

• Argen Corporation

• Henry Schein

• TP Orthodontics, Inc.

Orascoptic Endeavour XL Impresses and Continues to Impress

The picture above is my newest "nose light" in my armamentarium of headlights.  This is my new Endeavour XL from  Orascoptic with TruColor.  There is an interesting story behind my latest purchase.

Throughout my career I've used a variety of scope mounted lighting, but my "bread and butter" light was the Orascoptic Zeon Discovery.  The picture is below.

The thing I really liked about the Discovery, was its brightness.  It was a bit heavy on the bridge of my nose, but I was willing to trade that for the intensity of the light.  However, recently the battery had started to degrade and I knew I was going to have to make a change.  Time had passed the Discovery by.

So I invested in the Endeavour XL and the first question that crossed my mind was "why did I wait?"  The Endeavour XL is incredibly bright, so I'm not losing any light intensity.  It's also much smaller and lighter so my scopes aren't as heavy.  One other feature that I need to mention is that the cord is *much* thinner, which means less pull and also less chance of wire breakage from bending.Add to those benefits the fact that the new light also has Orascoptic's Tru Color built in and this thing is an absolute winner.

The advantage of the Tru Color lighting is that the color emitted by the light is very close to natural sunlight.  That makes shade matching a much simpler task.  It is about 5700° Kelvin which many experts consider "true north lighting".

Now I know a lot of you are probably asking why I didn't just go with a wireless system for my lighting and my answer for that is that I am used to working under *very* bright light.  The wireless systems are completely acceptable for every day use.  It's just that I have gotten SO used to working in a bright field that I wanted that intensity as an option.  The Endeavour XL has low, medium, and high settings and I normally use the low option, however I love choices and having the extra brightness can come in handy for some situations so I chose to keep with a system that had that option.

If you are like me and want brightness when you need it, for sure check out the lineup from Orascoptic.  The Endeavour XL is *highly* recommended! 

 

Nobio's Infinix Composite Continues to Impress in Clinical Trial

 

As many of you know, I've been fortunate enough to be able to work with the new composite from Nobio called Infinix.  The cool thing about Nobio is they are not a restorative company, they are a "chemical company".  By that I mean they are not just looking to change dental restoratives, but also to change the way a lot of things are made by adding their bacterial killing molecules to those products.

Infinix is a composite material created to kill bacteria that comes into contact with it.  If it follows through in the real world as it has in the lab, this may be a total game changer for the profession and the patients we serve.

Here in the U.S. I think I might have been the first dentist to actually place an Infinix restoration.  While I am truly honored to be able to say that, I also think that means it's my job to let the rest of the profession know what I've experienced.  

I'll continue to provide updates, but I've got to say that things are "so far, so good".  I'm about 20 restorations into my trial and I have nothing but good things to say at this time.

The above photo shows a MO and DO restoration done with the material.  I currently only have one shade to work with and that is A-2.  I tell you that because in the clinical photo it is easy to spot the material.  The good news is that it is close enough that they are not noticeable except to those in the profession.  The patients who have received these restorations have been very happy with them.  The company is planning on more shades in the future, but at this point, they wanted to get material to me to use and A-2 was the first shade available.

The material handles well.  It is not sticky and is easy to place.  I prefer to use warm composite and I'm happy to say that the warm material handles as expected.  I prefer to prep with a 2-3mm bevel at the cavosurface margin and it finishes very well.  I tend to use micro-fine finishing diamonds first and then to polish with Ultradent Jiffy Polishers finishing with the Jiffy Brush.

The material polishes well and has a nice shine after polish.

The real benefit of course should be the long term viability of the materials.  I am placing these restorations across a wide spectrum of patients and will follow them carefully as they come in for recare.  It's a nice material to use, but my real hope is that it increases the life span of our restorations.

I'll be posting more as my experience progresses...

SprintRay Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for NightGuard Flex

 

As I stated here recently, I love SprintRay products.  I have been using SprintRay printers in my office for several years now and I am *very* impressed with their performance, quality, and durability.  The printers are, to put it simply, workhorses.  They churn out models, implant surgical guides, occlusal guards, and temporary crowns.

You'll notice the term "occlusal guards" in the above paragraph.  I should specify that the term applies to rigid resin based occlusal guards.  For the non-dentist folks who read the blog I should explain that an occlusal guard is a dental device that a patient wears (normally while sleeping) to protect the teeth from damage caused by clenching and grinding.  I should also explain that  there are 2 types of materials that are used to make these devices.

The first material is hard acrylic.  The idea behind this material is that it is very resilient and can resist strong biting forces that are generated by the patient musculature.  Depending on the material used, hard guides can last for years.  The drawback is that they need to be very well balanced with the biting (occlusal) forces distributed equally.  Basically it needs to be designed and adjusted so that all the teeth touch it equally at the same time.  The main drawback is that patients who are strong grinders can break this material.

The second material, which is what I personally prefer to use, is a softer more rubbery material.  It can act as a "shock absorber" to the teeth, is almost impossible to break, and does not require as much adjustment.

Due to my preference to clinically use softer materials, I was excited to learn that SprintRay recently received FDA 510(k) clearance for a new material Nightguard Flex.  This new resin allows the doctor or the dental lab to 3D print appliances made with a flexible material!  

Here is the info from the SprintRay press release:

SprintRay Inc., an industry leader in digital dentistry and 3D printing solutions, today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Company clearance to market its NightGuard Flex 3D printing resin as a Class II medical device in the United States. The SprintRay NightGuard Flex is indicated for the fabrication of orthodontic and dental appliances such as mouthguards, nightguards, and splints, and joins SprintRay's industry-leading line up of end-to-end dental 3D printing solutions.

SprintRay NightGuard Flex resin was developed, in part, to meet the growing demand for night guards due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an American Dental Association survey, more than 70 percent of dentists are seeing an increase of patients experiencing teeth grinding and clenching, conditions often associated with stress. SprintRay's NightGuard Flex 3D printing material is a flexible resin for 3D printing night guards and splints. NightGuard Flex is designed to deliver the best possible patient experience with high impact strength and wear resistance, comfortable and flavorless material and same-day patient delivery. Additionally, NightGuard Flex drives greater efficiency for dental practitioners by eliminating the need for third party resins and creating uniform, end-to-end dental 3D printing workflows.

"Nightguards are costly and can take several weeks to get back with traditional production methods using outside sources," said Amir Mansouri, Ph.D., CEO of SprintRay. "Today, Sprintray's NightGuard Flex resin has totally changed the patient and doctor experience in the treatment of bruxism and teeth grinding. Our patient-centered design is durable, flexible, more comfortable, and enables faster delivery and greater access for patients to receive their nightguards same-day, through chairside SprintRay 3D printing and at more affordable prices."

This announcement follows the launch of SprintRay's Protect A Smile campaign, a program designed to support occlusal health through 3D printing, as well as SprintRay's North American distribution partnership agreement with Nobel Biocare, which furthers the Company's mission to increase patient access to innovative dental technology solutions.

The EndoUltra Cordless Ultrasonic Agitator

 

I perform a lot of endodontics in my office.  That simple fact means that I am always looking for ways to improve patient outcomes as well as perform more efficiently.  I think this is especially true when it comes to endodontics.  No one ever wants a root canal "to take longer".

Endodontics requires a high degree of precision and because of that the procedure can be time consuming.  Anything worth doing is worth doing well, but that doesn't necessarily mean that quality always requires a long procedure.

There is also the simple fact of irrigation and chemical cleansing of the canal system.  If you have ever seen a scanning electron microscopic view of a canal system (and you probably have) you'll understand that simple mechanical instrumentation cannot do all the necessary work of removing diseased tissue and bacteria.

Because of that simple fact, irrigation has become tremendously important while performing endodontic treatment.  The other part of irrigation is being sure that the irritants reach into all the small areas of the canal system.  That's why it's not only important to use copious irrigation, it's also important to provide some type of agitation to those irritants.  This ensures that they are replenished in those tiny areas as well as to provide some "shock waves" that also can loosen debris as well as having some potentially lysing effects on bacterial cell walls.

I've used several different devices to accomplish this task, but my current favorite is the EndoUltra from Vista-Apex.  The device is small, ergonomic, wonderfully effective, and affordable.  If you do endo in your practice, effective irrigation and agitation of those chemicals is critical to clinical success.

I have been using the EndoUltra device for about 2 years now and have nothing but good things to say about it.  Take a look at the video I shot this summer to hear all about it.  I was lucky enough to spend some time on a site visit to the Vista-Apex facility this past summer and saw some impressive things.  While there, they asked if I could sit down and do a testimonial video on the EndoUltra and I was happy to do so.  I use it and believe in it, so talking about it was easy.  Give the video a view and I think you'll be as impressed with this device as I am.

An Attempt to Reinsert Dental into Medicare

 I don't normally like to even mention politics on the blog.  Number one, there are enough blogs doing that already.  Number two, I don't like discussing politics.  😃

However, because this is politics that has the definite possibility of affecting dentistry, today we'll wade just a bit into what is going on.

Those of us in the profession are most likely aware that in the beginning of the budgetary debate this fall, there were initial attempts to include dental as part of Medicare.  The American Dental Association was opposed to the way the way it was proposed and worked hard with congress to find a compromise.  I won't go into great detail on all of that here as there are pages and pages of info on this that presents it much better than I can.  Just do a Google search for all the answers.

The heart of the matter today is that the process has hit a snag.  Evidently discussions were held among senators who agreed on the details and things were moving along nicely.  However, now Senator Bernie Sanders has decided to change a part of the bill to try to re-include the Medicare dental piece.

I bring this up so that regular readers here will be aware of the situation.   There is a great explanation of the situation at Bloomberg.com that you can read by following this link...