Lab Tribune U.S. Edition, November 2010, Vol. 1, No. 2

LAB TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Lab Newspaper · U.S. Edition By Joachim Mosch, CDT Even though dental cases have been modeled for decades mainly using the most varied types of den- tal waxes or PMMA powder-liquid resins, “The better is the enemy of the good.” As the requirements of mod- ern dental technology change, a modern modeling material should also have new, improved and user- friendly properties. An advanced material that incorporates these properties is primopattern LC from primotec (Westport, Conn.). This article will explain in detail why patterns can be modeled particularly easily and quickly using primopattern due to its material properties. Dental sculpting waxes are well- established and certainly have many advantages, though they also have disadvantages that are no lon- ger questioned but simply accepted. Technicians have come to terms with them. Nevertheless, it is, of course, annoying if a bridge distorts unno- ticed on removal, if the wax retracts slightly from the metal surfaces of the primary crowns or abutments in the marginal region, if a differ- ent wax must be used for every imaginable indication or if there is not a suitable wax available for specific applications (e.g., contact scanning). primopattern LC was devel- oped in order to eliminate all these inconvenient disadvantages of con- ventional modeling materials. primopattern is a light-curing, ready-to-use, one-component mate- rial that is available as a modeling gel or modeling paste (Fig. 1). As a universal composite material in two consistencies (gel or paste), it can be used for virtually all conven- tional as well as modern laboratory applications. In the form of a modeling gel, primopattern LC is easily and pre- cisely applied directly from the dis- pensing syringe, almost in one step (Fig. 2). The viscosity of the gel is exactly preset and guarantees quick, pre- cise modeling with high dimen- sional stability, which ensures that the gel applied does not run (Fig. 3). primopattern gel is also thixotropic, i.e., it flows more easily with vibra- tion and stops as soon as the vibra- Easy, quick modeling July 2010 www.dental-tribune.com Vol. 1, No. 2 g LT page 3E How a technical advisor can help your lab By Kevin Kim “You have one new voicemail,” my cell phone read early one Sat- urday morning. I knew who it was, and I knew what it was about. One of my clinicians in Ohio was calling to thank me regarding the Jane Doe case that we arduously planned over a period of a month. And although 2,000 miles separated myself and the clinician, because we stayed in con- stant contact, the case dropped right in with no adjustments. The key to every successful clini- cian/laboratory relationship is clear communication. Keating Dental Arts has set aside a whole department dedicated solely for this purpose, and this has played a key role in our suc- cess. As a technical advisor, it is my job to act as a liason between the clini- cian and the technicians to ensure the best result for the patient. On any given day, each technical advisor at Keating Dental Arts will evaluate 30-40 cases that need to be addressed with our respective accounts. These cases range from simple calls such as a needed shade or a missing opposing cast to complex treatment planning. In the end, it is important for both the clinical team and the laboratory to work together for the benefit of the patient. How many frustrated patients have stormed out of the clinician’s office? How many hours of chair time have been lost as a result of ineffective communication between the clinician and lab? How many late nights have lab technicians had to work overtime due to a prescription that was unclear or was not followed? How many times have clinicians looked bad because the patient was sitting in the chair but the restorations weren’t there? All of these things are an unfortu- nate reality in our industry, but with solid communication, we can mini- mize these discouraging moments. Another advantage to having a technical advisory department is that tion ceases. These properties make primopat- tern LC gel ideal for use in attach- ment and telescope crown cases (Figs. 4–6). Other areas of application include the entire range of fixed restorations as well as implant prosthetics. pri- mopattern LC modeling paste (Fig. 7) has a more kneadable consis- tency in comparison with the gel. This allows the material to be easily kneaded to the shape and adapted. Fig. 1: primopattern LC — light curing and available in two viscosities as a gel or paste. (Photos/Provided by Joachim Mosch) g LT page 2E Fig. 2: No more mixing too much material and then discarding it — primopattern gel is ready to use directly from the syringe. Introducing a bimonthly column focused on the liaison between the clinician and technicians Fig. 3: The thixotropic behavior of the gel facilitates modeling and ensures flexible application. product review