Product Evaluation

CONTACEZ, A DIVISION OF DIRECTA DENTAL GROUP

IPR Rainbow Set Evaluation

With the ContacEZ IPR Rainbow Set, clinicians can safely and accurately adjust interproximal contacts with minimal time and effort, and improved patient comfort

Although Dr. Rodolfo Olmos tries to be as conservative as possible with his patients, many of them still require interproximal reduction (IPR), a procedure that’s often time-consuming and cumbersome for the dentist, not to mention uncomfortable for the patient. Thankfully, Dr. Olmos discovered the IPR Rainbow Set from ContacEZ, a division of Directa Dental Group. This set of color-coded IPR strips allows dentists to adjust contacts with minimal time and effort while keeping patients safe and comfortable.

During the 4-week trial for DPS, Dr. Olmos used the IPR Rainbow Set for 4 orthodontic patients, 10 cases involving excess cement removal, 3 Class IVs, and 1 case of 12 veneers, proving that the set has many options for various procedures. In all situations, he achieved “fantastic results” and called the strips easy to use, effective, and very gentle to the tooth structure. “This is a must-have kit for any restorative dentist or orthodontist. It’s simple to use and extremely effective in achieving IPR,” determined Dr. Olmos.

Strip Design & Accuracy

The IPR Rainbow Set equips doctors with everything they need to perform safe, effective enamel stripping for any patient. The kit includes 24 reusable strips in a range of grits, thicknesses, and coatings, with an ergonomic single-handed design for tactile control and a central opening for maximum visibility.

Calling the strips “well designed and much improved over competing products,” Dr. Robert Korwin said, “The small transition in width sizes made the progression from one size to the next almost effortless. The gray final polish [strip] is a very practical inclusion.” Noting that “the strips don’t dull easily and the handles are sturdy enough to hold the strip but not too large to impede visualization,” Shahin Mahallati, DDS, suggested that “more flexible strips without handles would be a nice companion.” Dr. Sandip Ladani said he liked the “grit thickness and the width imprinted on the handle.”

Hoping to improve interproximal polishing and break contacts, Dr. Sam Hamam said, “The product worked wonderfully; it was very easy to use and produced extremely tight contacts,” although he would like to see more polishing grits and a more secure organizer. Dr. Scott Waletzko was “pleased with how consistently these strips worked,” and Sanford Shifman, DDS, called them “very helpful for opening tight contacts.” Dr. Sean Sunyoto said the IPR Rainbow Set “confidently reduces time and error in spacing,” and Dr. Rupesh Singla cited “ease of use and predictability” as reasons to recommend the system. Calling it “excellent for orthodontics,” Dr. Sage White noted, “I use it several times a day to create needed space with excellent results on many patients.”

Patient Safety and Comfort

The flexible diamond strips are designed to curve and conform along the natural contours of the teeth, achieving safe and accurate interproximal reduction without removing excessive enamel, injuring lips or gums, or creating sharp corners or subgingival ledges. “Doing IPR on overlapping lower anterior teeth is usually difficult,” noted Dr. Mahallati. “With these strips the lip can be pulled away from the cutting edge to prevent trauma to the soft tissue.” Dr. Singla said the system provides a “less traumatic way to achieve predictable and precise results with no damage to adjacent teeth (no ledging, gouging, etc.),” and Dr. Korwin said he achieved 0.4-mm IPR “with minimal effort and no patient discomfort.”

Ease of Use & Efficiency

The IPR Rainbow Set includes an incremental thickness gauge, open-top autoclavable trays, and color-coded strips that further enhance ease of use and efficiency. “[This set] really simplified creating the interproximal space needed in orthodontics,” said Dr. White, concluding that it’s “very easy to use; practically foolproof with the color sequence.” For Dr. Korwin, the IPR Rainbow Set “made the IPR procedure much easier and less stressful” and he “was easily able to use it as a stand-alone without using rotary wheels for larger IPR widths.” Noting that he “will always gravitate toward products that are easy and fast to use,” Dr. Waletzko said, “[The IPR Rainbow Set is] color coded, durable under the stresses of the mouth, and well organized, which helps all team members reassemble the kit.” Dr. Mahallati added, “The color coding and sterilization tray made setup and cleanup very easy and efficient.”

"It's a less traumatic way to achieve predictable and precise results with no damage to adjacent teeth."
-Rupesh Singla, DMD
Duncanville, TX

Overall Satisfaction

“ContacEZ has been a reliable brand for me, so I have no reservations about recommending this product,” said Dr. Waletzko, who went on to say he will be purchasing the IPR Rainbow Set in the future. After using several different techniques to create space, Dr. White said the IPR Rainbow Set will now be a part of his daily routine. And Dr. Hamam concluded, “In dentistry we sometimes need a user-friendly tool that can assist us in getting to the finish line. This product did that for me on several occasions.”

Takeaways

• A set of 24 reusable, color-coded IPR strips in a range of grits, thicknesses, and coatings
• Flexible diamond strips curve and conform along natural contours of teeth
• Enables safe and accurate interproximal reduction without removing excess enamel or injuring the patient
• Ergonomic single-handed design provides optimal tactile control
• Incremental thickness gauge and open-top autoclavable trays enhance efficiency