Product Evaluation

While heroes in real life don’t usually wear capes and masks, real-life dental heroes are required to wear masks, gloves, and gowns all day long. As clinicians know all too well, an ill-fitting mask can inhibit breathing, fog up glasses or loupes, or irritate the ears. With Cranberry’s Carbon 4-Ply Face Masks, those inconveniences have all but disappeared.

Designed to protect clinicians while improving comfort and providing more room to breathe, the Carbon masks are “very comfortable” and provide an “excellent fit and breathability that are better than most masks,” according to hygienist Lynell Ciranna. She appreciates the adjustable metal strips and said, “The nose piece bends easily to fit tightly and stays close to the face so there is no fogging of my loupes. The chin area fits well because that piece can also bend to fit the face. The masks are lightweight without causing ear pain.”

With an innovative design that provides high fluid resistance and filtration efficiency, the masks provide “adequate filtration and protection while make working more comfortable,” added Ciranna.

Protection and Breathability

The Carbon 4-Ply Face Masks offer ASTM Level 3 protection with a unique HydroGuard layer that provides superior fluid resistance and greater than 99% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) and Particle Filtration Efficiency (PFE) at 0.1 micron. The Quad-Fold design provides 15% more breathing volume.

“I love the thickness of the material, and I feel well protected with this mask, especially from aerosols while using the ultrasonic scaler,” shared Mary Seger. Calling the mask “very durable,” Lydia Pope said, “The folds stayed together and did not come apart, and it sealed well around my face.” Explaining that she uses this type of mask often when she needs to conform to enhanced patient precautions, Dr. Mihaela Popa said, “It’s comforting to know that I’m protected well [with the Carbon mask]. It is a high-quality product that allows me to breathe easier so I’m more comfortable during longer procedures.”

Misty McCans enjoyed “the extra space” and said, “Being able to breathe better was so much more comfortable,” and Dr. Sarwandeep Bath praised the “excellent fluid resistance and breathability.” Explaining that the mask did not sit on her mouth, Pope said, “I wasn’t inhaling fibers from the mask, I had room to breathe better, and I could talk easier.”

Fit and Seal

The Carbon mask’s adjustable nose and chin strips create a custom fit and tight seal for enhanced protection. “I liked how I was able to customize the fit with the flexible nose and chin pieces, but I had enough room to talk without the mask touching my lips,” shared Tracy Johnson. Dr. Louis Sterling appreciates “the way the mask adapts to my face in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions.” Calling the masks “very well designed,” Dr. Joshua Fowler enjoyed the “double wire, excellent fit, and great odor control,” and McCans praised the “great fit, moldability, and the adaptability to a variety of nose sizes.” Dana Jones liked being able to “contour the bottom and top of the mask” but felt that the earloops were too big, and Dr. Daniel Cohen suggested a better seal.

Previously experiencing loupes that fogged daily—often so badly that she couldn’t see and had to remove her mask during procedures—Pope shared, “With the Carbon Mask, my loupes no longer fogged.”  Because of a tight fit, Ciranna said her breath did not escape around her nose, helping to alleviate foggy loupes. “The elastic loops fit well and [there was] adequate length below the chin for good adaptability,” said Dr. Bath, who also experienced “no fogging because of a good fit.”

Color and Comfort

“I liked the black color of the mask, which hid debris and blood from patients during procedures,” shared Pope. Seger and her colleagues also “love the color of the masks,” and McCans suggested that “different colors would be fun.”

Several clinicians praised the mask’s comfort, with Johnson calling the inside of the mask “really soft” and Seger commenting, “I love the feel and comfort of these masks.” Dr. Christiane Rothwangl said, “These masks were surprisingly comfortable. We almost forgot that we were wearing them.”

Appreciating the mask’s “excellent construction” and “soft earloops with light pull,” Dr. Kayvon Nezhad said he “used the mask on every patient without soreness to the ears or causing headache.”

Calling it “very comfortable from the bridge of my nose to under my chin,” Dr. Sterling felt the earloops were comfortable for a few hours but noticed his ears hurting at the end of the day, as happens with other masks. Dr. Fowler succinctly said, “The mask provides excellent all-day comfort.”

Overall Satisfaction

“The Carbon Face Mask is light, comfortable, and super protective,” shared Dr. Popa, and Dr. Nezhad said, “My chairside experience was great as I was not distracted by the mask in any way.” Dr. Rothwangl concluded, “The entire office really liked these masks. They were effective and comfortable and a huge hit in my office!”