The S-Max pico has the smallest head and neck on a handpiece, giving it the largest treatment area in the world.
S-Max pico high-speed, air-driven handpiece is described by NSK has having an ultra minihead and slim, stainless steel body. According to the manufacturer, this design makes S-Max pico an ideal handpiece for pediatric cases and any case where visual access is challenging. It is available in 8 competitive back-end versions that enable clinicians to easily incorporate the handpiece into their practices without having to purchase a new coupler.
Twelve Dental Product Shopper evaluators participated in this evaluation of S-Max pico. They rated and commented on several product features, including ease of use, visibility in the oral cavity, cutting performance for restorative procedures, noise level, and ergonomics. The dentists also commented on and rated their overall satisfaction with the product.
Visibility in the Oral Cavity
According to NSK, the head of the S-Max pico measures 8.6 mm in diameter x 9 mm in height and the neck measures 7.6 mm at the base of the head x 12.7 mm at the neck, providing easy visibility within the oral cavity. The manufacturer says slim design makes the S-Max pico ideal when working with children or any situation where access is difficult. In addition, NSK recommends the handpiece when minimal intervention is the goal because it provides excellent visual access for minimal removal of tooth structure and complete removal of the carious lesion.
When asked to rate visibility in the oral cavity when using the S-Max pico, 7 rated it as excellent and 5 rated it as very good. Eleven evaluators noted the size of the S-Max pico as one of their favorite features of the handpiece. An evaluator from John’s Creek, GA, said, “[The] very small head provided access to tight areas of the mouth.” He continued, “Traditional handpieces would not allow this type of access.” This evaluator gave the handpiece an overall satisfaction rating of very good. Another evaluator said, “[The] small size makes it easy to use in posterior regions, especially pedo.” He also said he would definitely recommend it to colleagues.
The evaluators were also asked about ease of use and maneuverability of the handpiece. As with visibility in the oral cavity, 7 evaluators rated the handpiece as excellent and 5 rated it as very good. An evaluator from Sarasota, FL, with 23 years of experience said the handpiece gave him “good access to tight areas of the mouth.” This evaluator also said he found the S-Max pico to be much better than similar products and that he would definitely recommend it to colleagues.
Cutting Performance
The evaluators were asked to rate the S-Max pico on cutting performance for restorative procedures. Three evaluators rated the handpiece as excellent, 3 rated it as very good, and 6 rated it as good.
Five evaluators noted that they would like to see the handpiece have a bit more cutting power. However, an evaluator with 32 years of experience said, “I thought this handpiece worked very well and had a good amount of cutting power/torque for its size.”
Ergonomics
When asked about the importance of ergonomics when considering the purchase of a handpiece, 7 said they are very important, 4 said they are important, and 1 evaluator was neutral. The evaluators were then asked to rate the ergonomics of the S-Max pico. Five evaluators rated the handpiece as excellent with regard to ergonomics, 5 rated it as very good, and 2 rated it as good. A dentist with 22 years of experience said, “[It] has a good grip when used. Very compact head, lightweight, well balanced.” This evaluator said he would definitely recommend the S-Max pico to his colleagues, and he gave it an overall satisfaction rating of excellent.
Overall Satisfaction
When asked if they would recommend the S-Max pico to colleagues, all 12 said definitely or probably. Nine evaluators said they would definitely or probably purchase the handpiece in the future.
When the evaluation was complete, the 12 participating dentists were asked their overall satisfaction rating for the S-Max pico. Four evaluators rated it as excellent and 8 rated it as very good. A dentist from San Leandro, CA, said, “I found everything about this handpiece to be outstanding.”
