Product Evaluation

FLOW DENTAL

Comfee Bytes

With an innovative, biodegradable design, Comfee Bytes provide a cost-effective solution to improve patient comfort during 3D scans 

When positioning a patient for a CBCT scan, everything seems fi ne until the patient is asked to bite down on a thick bite block and hold absolutely still. After showing the patient exactly where to bite, the scan begins and then it happens—the patient gets uncomfortable and begins to move. The result is an impatient, unhappy patient and a poor-quality image, which often means starting from scratch and doing it all over again.

Aware that “conventional CBCT bite blocks can be uncomfortable for patients to bite into for long scans,” Dr. Eric Van Zytveld was looking for a solution when he stumbled across Flow Dental’s Comfee Bytes disposable bite block covers for 3D imaging. Designed as an affordable, comfortable, and environmentally friendly alternative to standard bite blocks, each single-use, biodegradable Comfee Byte is soft and thin for optimal patient comfort and is compatible with any CBCT 3D system that has a bite block for patient positioning.

Especially useful for long exposures, Comfee Bytes are “more comfortable for patients to bite into than stock bite blocks,” determined Dr. Van Zytveld. “By making long CBCT scans more comfortable, Comfee Bytes can lessen the chance of patient movement during the scan.”

Ease of Use

Designed for ease of use for the entire staff, each Comfee Byte features an adhesive tab that folds over the bite plate for easy placement. They are packaged in a convenient box (100 per box) that makes it easy to grab 1 bite block cover at a time. Comfee Bytes are “super easy to use for both staff and patients,” noted Dr. Mike Micallef, who appreciates their ease of application. Dr. Sean Sunyoto called them “easy to fold and place,” and Dr. John Lee said they were “a time-saver for cleanup” when setting up CT and panoramic imaging. Dr. Bennie Clark was pleased that they “fi t most machines with no learning curve for the staff.”

Noting that Comfee Bytes are helpful in taking full cone beams, Dr. Sunny Patel used the product in 3 different offices with 3 different brands of CBCT units. In all cases, he determined that Comfee Bytes are “easier for the staff to use,” although he would like them to be a bit thicker. When asked to suggest improvements, Dr. Craig Ratner said the covers were too big and there were too many steps involved in attaching, and Dr. Ryan McNeil said he prefers to use a foam pad that’s covered in plastic to prevent cross-contamination.

Patient Positioning/Comfort & Image Quality

Comfee Bytes are made of a thin piece of laminated paper, which, according to Flow Dental, is more comfortable and easier to position than larger bite blocks made of thick foam or shaped liked impression trays. Positioning is made even easier by markings that indicate where patients should bite. And because Comfee Bytes are both soft and thin, patients are less likely to move and compromise image quality.

Noting that Comfee Bytes helped “position patients properly in a comfortable way,” Dr. Rodolfo Olmos found them especially useful for people who have trouble staying still and for those who are missing teeth. Comfee Bytes are “easy to use, comfort able for the patient and, most importantly, produce great images,” he added. Calling the product economical and comfortable, Dr. Kevin Altieri agreed that it provided better positioning for patients, although his “assistants and hygienists felt they were adding another step.”

Impressed that Comfee Bytes “provided a visual target for patients to aim for when biting down,” Dr. Clark found it especially helpful with elderly patients who have issues biting with pans. Dr. Micallef also appreciated the teeth marks that “allow patients to see where to bite.” Dr. Lee said the product’s ease of use and comfort were his favorite features, while Dr. Sunyoto said they sometimes “slip out of the bite holder if the patient doesn’t bite down properly.”

Because it’s easy to position patients and keep them comfortable, Comfee Bytes “help improve excellent quality images,” according to Dr. Olmos, who said, “It was helpful when we were taking CT scans for some of my patients, improving the overlapping of anatomical structures and obtaining accurate images.”

“By making long CBCT scans more comfortable, COmfee Bytes can lessen the chance of patient movement during the scan.”

Eric Van Zytveld, DDS, Denver, CO

Environmentally Friendly Design

With a commitment to lessening the negative environmental impact of single-use dental products, Flow Dental manufactures Comfee Bytes from biodegradable, recycled materials that can be recycled again after use. “In dentistry, we use many disposables, so it’s great that this is an environmentally friendly product,” said Dr. Micallef, who praised the “lower cost, environmentally friendly option.” Dr. Sunyoto, who believes in the importance of sustainability, was also pleased that they are made of recycled cardboard/sustainable material.

Overall Satisfaction For Dr. Lee, the overall ease of use and cleanup with Comfee Bytes helped him and his staff be more efficient, and Dr. Clark said he would recommend them to his colleagues as an “effective remedy to increase comfort with pans.” Dr. Sunyoto felt that “Comfee Bytes readily replaced the original [name brand] bite tabs with no interruptions,” and Dr. Olmos summed up his review experience by calling Comfee Bytes a “great product that’s easy to use and comfortable for patients.”

Takeaways

• An affordable, disposable bite block cover for 3D imaging

• Enables adaptable and comfortable patient positioning

• Soft and thin design for optimal patient comfort

• Environmentally friendly design

• Can be used with any CBCT 3D system that has a bite block for patient positioning