Why I Use... Ivory® LinguaGuard
A disposable attachment that allows clinicians to retract and suction at the same time with the same hand
Working in a dental practice requires clinicians to wear many hats. In addition to mastering clinical skills and techniques, practitioners need to be patient educators, oral hygiene advocates, masters of technology, active listeners, and sometimes, even jugglers. While one hand is suctioning a patient, the other hand is wrangling with the tongue, and both hands are simultaneously trying to hold instruments or materials. To improve this juggling act, Dr. Milton Ruiz now relies on Kulzer’s Ivory LinguaGuard, a disposable plastic device that attaches to the vented end of an HVE tip and retracts and protects the tongue during suction.
Using a mirror to retract a patient’s tongue, my assistants and I never realized how a simple device could improve tongue retraction and make our jobs easier until we tried Kulzer’s Ivory LinguaGuard. The small plastic device slides easily onto an HVE tip and remains securely attached, while the curved plastic edge comfortably retracts and protects the tongue during suction. Because we do not need to use a separate instrument for tongue retraction, we can retract and suction at the same time with the same instrument and the same hand.
LinguaGuard is very effective at retracting the tongue and cheek—much better than a mirror—and is easy to use. It took my assistants less than a day to figure out how to properly attach and place the device in a patient’s mouth. The product was especially helpful with retraction in posterior areas, where it improved my vision of the oral cavity. LinguaGuard also frees up the assistant to do other things with the other hand, which reduces employee stress and improves our practice’s efficiency.
Patient Comfort
In addition to enhancing the clinician’s experience, LinguaGuard improves a patient’s comfort level since there are fewer instruments inside the patient's mouth. The curved design keeps the tongue out of the way, protecting the tongue from potential injury and preventing accidental suction of tissue.
LinguaGuard is made of BPA-free and latex-free materials, and the single-use design ensures no time is wasted sterilizing the device. You simply use a new one for every patient and dispose of it after treatment. This is one of my favorite products that I have tried!
LINGUAGUARD AT A GLANCE
• Simple design slides easily and securely onto HVE tip
• Curved design ensures comfortable retraction
• Larger surface area makes the HVE tip safer and more effective
• Easily retract without risk of tissue suck
• Intended for single use and easily disposable, BPA and latex-free
Milton Ruiz, DMD
A graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Ruiz practices general dentistry in Pembroke Pines, FL, where he is passionate about staying up to date on new technologies and advancements in dentistry. In his 25 years of practice, he has become proficient in many areas of dentistry, including cosmetic, restorative, orthodontics, and sleep dentistry, and he is also certified in oral conscious sedation
