The Trusted Brand for Disposables & Dispensers
For more than 125 years, Richmond Dental has provided safe, high-quality, single-use products, many of which are made in the USA
As a dental assistant for nearly 30 years, Courtney Koehring knows the importance of using high-quality supplies that serve their purposes competently. That’s especially the case for the disposable products that are used in procedures throughout the day—from cotton rolls and pellets to sponges and moisture abatement pads. Simply put, the higher their quality, the better they perform. The lower their quality, the more they cost in quantity, steps, and time during each procedure.
Throughout her career, Koehring has relied on Richmond Dental, which has been purifying cotton and producing high-quality disposables for dental applications since 1895. “They make my job easy,” she said, noting that her practice in South Elgin, IL, has used Richmond’s cotton products for over 4 decades.
But not every dental professional has had the opportunity to experience the difference in quality among disposable products. Many practices buy based on lowest cost, unaware what a higher-quality product can accomplish.
“In this day and age of buying things online, it’s hard to look at a catalog page of cotton rolls and know which one is good and which one is bad. A lot of times, people will just look for the cheapest items,” she said. “But you need to try products like the Braided Cotton Rolls and the Reflective Shields Plus to know the quality.”
Richmond’s Braided Cotton Rolls are made with purified, medical-grade cotton and held together with silky yarn. This prevents sticking to the mucosa and ensures easy removal from the patient’s mouth without the need to rewet. The Braided Cotton Rolls’ superior absorbency, flexibility, and comfort were proven in a Dental Product Shopper product evaluation, which resulted in a Best Product award.
“The Braided Cotton Rolls are super-absorbent,” Koehring said. “The higher absorbency means that we’re reducing the number of rolls we’re using. And when you’re with a patient, hand movements matter. So, if we have to stop what we’re doing to change out a cotton roll, it’s uncomfortable for the patient, and it’s wasting our time. Also, it’s really critical that they’re held together with a silky yarn, because other cotton rolls are held together with chemicals or starch, and we all know that when you get starch wet, it sticks. These don’t stick to the mucosa.”
Absorption and Illumination
The fewer times clinicians need to change out the disposables being used, the better. That goes for moisture abatement pads, which Richmond has also perfected in its quest to provide superior products that help dental professionals do their jobs better.
Reflective Shields Plus are uniquely crafted to provide absorption and superior illumination during common procedures. The heart-shaped design easily accommodates buccal curvatures and keeps the shield in check with the parotid gland, while the distinctive reflective film allows illumination of the oral cavity. Meanwhile, the greater absorbency of the durable, nonwoven material provides a dry field within seconds and retains moisture throughout.
The shields are ideal for procedures including sealants, composite fillings, restorations, and crown preps.
“They retract the cheek and absorb moisture, but they also are very mirrorlike,” Koehring said. “That’s something that other, similar products don’t have. A lot of the other products feel like cardboard and they’ve got a sort-of tinfoil surface on them, whereas these have a mirror-like film for reflection.” Reflective Shields Plus come in large and small sizes—the latter being a favorite among hygienists when placing sealants, which require a dry surface. Dentists and assistants rely on the larger pads to serve like a third hand for the entirety of procedures, absorbing and staying in place without sticking.
“I use them all the time when I’m working by myself, such as when placing a temporary crown and I need to retract that cheek and keep the field dry,” Koehring said.
Small Size, Big Impact
Richmond’s 100% Cotton Pellets—which also won Best Product status in a DPS product evaluation for their performance across 6 key criteria—are similarly designed to provide outstanding quality and absorbency in a variety of uses. The purified, medical-grade cotton pellets are all-natural, biodegradable, and of course, highly absorbent. Preferred uses include root canal therapy and temporary endo access, temporary use as a filler, implants (cover hex screw), carrying medicaments, and drying gum tissue.
Easy to Access and Sterilize
Richmond offers pellet dispensers such as the time-tested, autoclavable Chrome Tiltop Dispenser, available for sizes #1 through #4, and holding one refill size each. The new EZ UP Pellet Dispenser is also for use with sizes #1 through #4 and comes with an interchangeable grid for various sizes.
For cotton rolls, Richmond’s Infection Control Roll Dispenser keeps rolls sterile until use. The dispenser, which can be sterilized in an autoclave or chemclave, comes in a standard size that works with any 1.5″ medium cotton roll.
“We love the dispensers,” Koehring said. “You can put your cotton rolls in there and put the entire thing in the autoclave, and now you’ve got a sterilized dispenser and sterilized rolls.”
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