Griptab

Griptab Restoration Placement Device

Triodent

Griptab facilitates pick-up and placement of indirect restorations while ensuring bonding security.

Triodent’s Griptab provides optimal handling and placement of indirect restorations. It operates on the same simple principle as that of a cup handle—when adhered to a crown, inlay, onlay, or veneer, it provides a reliable grip and ensures complete confidence during placement.

Griptab features a light-cured, flexible adhesive (in syringes) that changes color when cured. The adhesive is both strong and silane/moisture-proof, yet easily detaches from the restoration upon completion of the procedure. Griptab comes in small (inlays and veneers,) medium (inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns), and large (crowns), in packs of 60 and 300.

The 5 dentists and 4 assistants who evaluated Griptab for this Dental Product Shopper review rated such features as ability to pick up and place restorations and overall ease of use.

Restoration Pick-Up, Placement, and Security

Designed to ensure a 100% secure grip on crowns, veneers, onlays, and inlays, Griptab provides the ability to pick up and put down a restoration multiple times and also can be used on any small object requiring manipulation. It enables accurate placement and precise control of try-ins, and also during hydrofluoric acid-etching, silanation, and ultrasonic cleaning.

Ability to pick up and place indirect restorations was rated as excellent by 5 evaluators, as very good to good by 3, and as fair by 1. Security of bonding during silanation and ultrasonic cleaning was rated by 8 evaluators—as excellent by 3, as very good by 4, and as fair by 1. Four dentists and 2 assistants said picking up and placing restorations and/or secure bonding were the features they liked most. Comments included “easy to place and holds tightly,” “stayed in place…didn’t fall off the handle,” and “securely holds onto the restoration with no fear of dropping it.”

A dentist accustomed to using gluetipped sticks, and who called Griptab much better than similar devices, said his favorite feature was “security of the bond during use and ease of removal when seating is finished.” A prosthodontist who also called Griptab much better than similar devices said, “It helps a lot to hold small inlays or onlays with ease while etching and applying silane and resin composite cement, especially for someone like me with big fingers…great idea!” This same evaluator suggested “having the tabs in 3 different compartments rather than attached to a main plastic rod.” Both he and his assistant, who said the adhesive is “weak and sometimes detaches too early,” suggested that more adhesive be provided.

Ease of Use

Griptab can be applied at any time before cementation or bonding. While ordinary tweezers or artery forceps can be used, Triodent’s Pin-Tweezers ensure a secure grip and optimal maneuverability.

Overall ease of use was rated as excellent by 1 evaluator, as very good by 5, and as good to fair by 3. When asked what he’d like to see improved, a dentist with a large Michigan practice suggested that it come with “the adhesive already on the tab,” and his assistant, calling it “all in all a very good product,” said it “just takes a little extra time to bond the tab on.”

Three evaluators cited “too many steps” as a feature they’d like to see im - proved; 1 said it was “a little time-consuming getting the device ready.” The manufacturer recommends placing the Griptab prior to use (either by the assistant or dental technician) to save the dentist time during the procedure.

A Loma Linda, CA prosthodontist re - marked on the adhesive’s color-change, noting that “transparent light blue is difficult to see” and his assistant suggested that the tabs be made “darker to be more visible and separate for each size.”

An Iowa general practitioner said Griptab’s “ability to rotate on the end of the pliers is a wonderful feature.” A California practitioner accustomed to sticky wax, called ease of use and se - cure bonding his favorite features.

Overall Satisfaction

Eight evaluators said they would definitely or probably recommend Grip - tab to colleagues. Overall satisfaction was rated as excellent by 3 evaluators, as very good by 3, and as good by 3. “It’s a user-friendly device,” said 1 evaluator in practice for 10 years. “Every office should have it.”