The lightweight, titanium handpiece delivers 26 W of air-powered torque with a cartridge design that improves durability.
It’s not every day clinician feedback begins with a classic rock reference, but that was the response for Ti-Max Z900L from NSK. “The handpiece cut like a bat out of h---,” wrote Dr. Sylvia Irwin, leaving us to fill in the blank. “To boot, it was lightweight and allowed good visibility. It felt comfortable in my hand and was small in size.”
Many dentists have an arsenal of handpieces they use regularly. Over time, they start to look and feel alike across different models and brands, as some evaluators noted in their comments. Still, dentists look for efficiency and in the case of Dr. Irwin, that’s what attracted her to evaluate this handpiece. “[With Ti-Max Z900L] I can live happily ever after in all of my operatories, not just the one with the electric handpiece.” For Dr. Irwin and other members of the DPS evaluation team, Ti-Max Z900L made the grade across core criteria, and in some cases surpassed expectations, while earning the title “Best Product”.
Cutting Performance and Maneuverability
Cutting performance, the primary function of a handpiece in the operatory, tied with ease of use/maneuverability for the highest marks in the evaluation. Ti-Max Z900L features NSK’s patented Clean Head System that automatically prevents the entry of oral fluid and other contaminants into the handpiece head, prolonging the life of the bearings. The Quattro Water Spray is optimized with a microfilter. These features and more resonated with 90% of evaluators who rated both cutting performance and maneuverability as “excellent” or “very good.”
Dentists like Dr. Irwin commented on the hand-piece’s 26 W of air-powered torque. Dr. Marc Gottlieb, a dentist with 34 years’ experience, thought Ti-Max Z900L’s cutting performance was excellent and commented, “It cut very well with a lot of torque.”
Dr. Eric Kahn, a dentist with 42 years’ experience, called Ti-Max Z900L a “better cutting tool,” which made it “fun to use.” The breaking down of turbines as a result of wear and tear and sterilization was a problem Dr. Kahn had encountered in the past. Out of the box, Ti-Max Z900L impressed him. “This product performs very well and appears better built both externally and internally than my current handpieces,” he said. “I have used it for the simplest and most difficult clinical situation. [It] works well in either.”
Dr. Joann Kania was looking for a solution to what she calls the “twisty-wristy challenge.” Out of all of Ti-Max Z900L’s features, she liked the rotation the best. “None of the handpieces I’ve used—and that includes the original NSK electric—did that, and I hate fighting the hose.” Dr. Charles Fine also said he wanted a hand-piece with greater torque. He found Ti-Max Z900L’s torque to be “very good,” and he mentioned that he saved time during crown preps.
Visibility in the Oral Cavity
If seeing is believing, 90% of evaluators believed that the Ti-Max Z900L improved their visibility. When asked what feature they liked best about Ti-Max Z900L, a third of the evaluation team commented on the small turbine head that improved accessibility. Dr. Kania thought the smaller head size led to less obstruction, which positively impacted her treatment of patients. She noted that she would like the Ti-Max Z900L to be a self-generating LED handpiece to further improve visibility.
Other dentists agreed that NSK delivered on a smaller-sized head. For Dr. Bilyana Tesic, accessibility was an issue she was having prior to the trial. Ti-Max Z900L resolved the problem. Dr. Jeffrey Levin, a dentist with 46 years of experience, indicated that the handpiece provided greater visibility when dealing with limited access, which positively impacted his practice.
Noise and Ergonomics
Handpieces are a sensory experience both for the dentist and the patient. Dr. Mark Vidor indicated that “noisy horse- power” was a problem he sought to ad-dress by trying a new handpiece. He found that Ti-Max Z900L was quiet and had low vibration, making it easier on his ears and patients’ ears. The handpiece scored well in this regard, with half of the evaluators indicating it was “excellent” and the other half indicating it was “very good” or “good.”
A recent NSK campaign states, “The skilled hand knows.” The skilled hand can also be selective when it comes to comfort. Ratings on ergonomics were split fairly evenly between “excellent,” “very good” and “good.” For Dr. Kania, comfort and ergonomics are the most important qualities of a handpiece. Dr. Kahn agreed that his comfort is important when it comes to selecting a handpiece. After using Ti-Max Z900L for a few weeks, Dr. Kania concluded that it was easier on her hands, and Dr. Kahn indicated that he would like to purchase one. Dr. Tesic added that Ti-Max Z900L’s DURAGRIP coating improved handling and led to less hand fatigue.
OVERALL SATISFACTION
Overall, a commanding 80% of the evaluators would recommend this handpiece to colleagues. Dr. Gottlieb concluded, “If I needed to replace a handpiece, I would consider this one.”
