A Delivery System That Saves Time, Money, and Material

A Delivery System That Saves Time, Money, and Material

A pioneering 50-mL cartridge system from Kettenbach promises greater efficiency with less waste—so you get the most out of your Panasil, Identium, Futar, and Silginat impression materials

Impressions are a daily part of life...at least in the life of a dentist. Most dentists would probably agree that taking precision impressions can present challenges on both sides of the chair. But sometimes, incremental design changes can make a monumental difference in a procedure that is a staple in dental offices everywhere.

That’s the story told by Jose-Luis Ruiz, DDS, who practices in Burbank, CA. Dr. Ruiz is a leader in supragingival dentistry and a skilled educator in minimally invasive techniques. While he has enjoyed using impression materials from Kettenbach for over 4 years, he recently began using the manufacturer’s new and pioneering 50-mL cartridge system. According to Dr. Ruiz, the improvements have transformed a common almost-daily procedure that can sometimes be difficult into one that is accomplished with ease.

“I’ve been using Kettenbach impression materials for years now,” Dr. Ruiz explained, “and I’ve continued to use them because I believe they’re superior to materials offered by other

manufacturers.”

“Every time I squeeze the cartridge, I know I’m spending 20% less—and that’s very nice for any practice.”

- Jose-Luis Ruiz, DDS

While the actual impression material has not changed, it is the delivery method—specifically the newly designed 50-mL cartridge dispensing system—that now promises several benefits. Kettenbach offers 4 product families of impression materials: Futar, designed for bite registration; Panasil and Identium for precision impressions; and Silginat, which can be used as an alginate substitute for pre-impression for temporary fabrication and study models.

The new cartridges are available for use with all 4 product families, and Dr. Ruiz has used each of them with a great deal of success. In fact, he has seen firsthand how this simple design improvement has simultaneously reduced the challenges he and his dental staff face daily, while improving the overall patient experience. “The tips are beautifully redesigned, and very easy to use,” he added.

Less Waste, More Product

The new cartridges feature 20% less residual material in the blue mixing tip, resulting in a more economical product for dentists.

“While it is a very sleek design, even more important is the fact that every time I squeeze the cartridge, I know I’m spending 20% less—and that’s very nice for any practice,” Dr. Ruiz explained. “I’m happy that I’m saving money, and the new cartridge design means I’m using less material. That’s a big advantage for a dentist."

Another cost-saving feature is that “bleeding” the cartridge impression material before application is no longer necessary, enabling direct application after attaching the mixing tip.

Intuitive Design

The new design also features a positioning aid for easy attachment and better fit of the mixing tip.“The guide allows for easy resealability, and also for easy replacement of the tips,” Dr. Ruiz explained. “That is a significant benefit to dental assistants and dentists because we don’t need to struggle with the tips. There have been times when I’ve seen some of us trying to figure out how it goes into the syringe and the cartridge. Now, with this new design, it’s easy because it just goes one way and it’s very simple.”

Designed with busy dental practices in mind, the new cartridges are color coded for quick, easy identification and allow for clean, fast, and precise work. In addition, the new design also features a tamper-evident closure that ensures the product is fully intact when first opened. This new packaging style also has hygienic benefits.

"In the past, it was difficult to reseal the material. It was sometimes a challenge to remove the used tip and recap the cartridge,” Dr. Ruiz shared. “Now, with this new design, we can throw away the used tip that is contaminated and put on a clean cover, which is, of course, cleaner and more sanitary for everyone.”

Compatible with Existing Equipment

Concerned about having to purchase additional equipment that would be compatible with these new 50-mL cartridges? No worries on that front, Dr. Ruiz pointed out. “These new cartridges are compatible with all common dispensing guns, which made our transition absolutely seamless,” he said. “The traditional guns are still perfectly usable, so Kettenbach has really simplified things for dentists.”

As for support in adapting to the new cartridges, Dr. Ruiz said he has continued to have positive experiences whenever he needs to ask Kettenbach for product assistance.

“In all my dealings with Kettenbach, I’ve always received a very, very quick and accurate response,” he added. “I am happy to have found a company that designs a product with the well-being of dentists in mind. They are providing something that wastes less material, saves us money, and makes our process simpler. Even something as basic as a positioning aid really eliminates one small hassle, which in turn benefits our patients.”