Product Evaluation

ULTRADENT PRODUCTS

Umbrella Evaluation

An innovative tongue, lip, and cheek retractor that keeps patients comfortable while improving clinician access and isolation during dental procedures

During many dental procedures, hands-free retraction with unobstructed visibility are key components to successful treatment, according to Andrew Mogelof, DDS. Recently introduced to Ultradent’s Umbrella retractor, Dr. Mogelof discovered, “I had all the retraction of the lips, tongue, and cheeks in an easy-to-place technique.” He said Umbrella is very easy to use, and he did not have one patient complaint. “When your dental assistant is busy with other tasks, you can work calmly with great vision, while the patient is comfortable.”

Just as an umbrella keeps people dry and comfortable during a rainstorm, the Umbrella retractor helps keep patients dry and comfortable during dental procedures. “I have used other retractors for bonding, veneer placement, and fillings, and Umbrella is the best,” shared Dr. Mogelof. When placing attachments on clear aligners, he said the appointment was much faster and cleaner. “The ease of use and the dry field gained from this product cannot be understated.”

Packaging & Placement

Designed for single use, each Umbrella retraction device is individually wrapped in sterile packaging and comes in one standard size. While several dentists suggested that different sizes would be helpful, Dr. Albert Lee noted, “One size seems to fit all.” Calling it easy to insert, he added, “I use it during procedures like bonding, clear aligners, and surgery. Patients love it.” Dr. Robert Friedstat said it was easy to handle and place once he watched the technique videos, and Dr. John Horn said, “Placement was simple. There is no need to remove it when checking the bite or crown clearance, as patients can function with it in place.”

Patient Comfort

With natural spring-like action, Umbrella helps patients hold their mouths open, allowing them to relax the jaw without uncomfortably pulling or stretching the lips. Because the device is flexible, patients can close their mouths while it is inserted so dentists can efficiently check occlusion. Anatomically placed/ shaped bumpers allow clinicians to rest a hand on the patient’s mouth without discomfort. For most patients, Umbrella will not trigger the gag reflex, and it helps channel saliva for efficient evacuation.

Dr. Hana Rashid said Umbrella stays in place and is more comfortable for patients than her previous retraction device, and Dr. Charles Liu agreed that patients were able to tolerate this retractor better than others. Noting that his hygienist was able to maintain a clean working environment during whitening treatments, Dr. Liu added, “Patients suffered fewer chemical burns because Umbrella kept soft tissue away from whitening chemicals.” While Dr. Carl Sakamaki had a few patients who gagged with the retractor in place, Dr. Horn said none of his patients presented with a gag reflex issue. “I had no complaints of discomfort from any patient,” he added. Explaining that he can “move about the arch without the appliance hurting the patient,” Dr. Lee stated, “Most importantly, it was very comfortable for the patient.”

Retraction, Isolation, & Access

Umbrella is designed with an innovative, comfortable tongue guard, while retractors at the top and bottom of the device hold the lips away from the anterior teeth for clear access during a broad range of procedures. The device also improves access for suction and reduces the risk of contamination during bonding procedures.

“It’s a good product for all-in-one retraction of the lips, cheek, and tongue,” noted Dr. Kipp Klein. When using Umbrella for clear aligner, anterior bonding, and whitening treatments, Dr. Rashid stated, “The amount of retraction was very helpful, especially the tongue portion,” while Dr. Mogelof suggested that the tongue cover could be slightly larger. “It provided excellent anterior retraction and excellent tongue retraction, especially in the maxillary region,” shared Shalom Mehler, DMD, who was pleased to have “no more constant lip holding!” The ability to control the tongue thrust was Dr. Horn’s favorite feature, but he said he had only partial success with lip retraction on some male patients.

Dr. Liu said Umbrella gave him a clear working environment, and Dr. Horn shared, “It provided clear vision of a crown prep on tooth No. 10 with no discomfort to the patient.” According to Dr. Sakamaki, Umbrella helped with difficult access, kept a dry field, freed up his assistant, and “allowed one-handed dentistry for most of the prep and restorative work.” Dr. Jeffrey Golden said Umbrella is “a nice way to gain visibility and retraction without 4-handed assistance.”

"A disposable, simple, one-size-fits-all field management solution that provides full retraction of the lips, tongue, and cheeks."
-Andrew Mogelof, DDS
Stratford, CT

Overall Satisfaction

When asked if Umbrella impacted his chairside experience, Dr. Mehler responded, “Very much so. I have one of those rare practices in which I do not have an assistant. It makes my work so much easier!” Noting that he now uses the Umbrella retractor for most of his procedures, Dr. Mogelof concluded, “It is a disposable, simple, one-size-fits-all field management solution that provides full retraction of the lips, tongue, and cheeks.”

Takeaways

• An individually packaged one-size-fits-all tongue, lip, and cheek retractor
• Improves access and isolation during dental procedures
• Natural spring-like action helps patient hold mouth open, allowing jaw to relax without pulling or stretching lips
• Flexible material allows patient to close mouth so dentist can check occlusion
• Prevents gag reflex and helps channel saliva for efficient evacuation