PRODUCT:
SpotIt

SOURCE:
Directa Inc.
Newton, Conn.
203-491-2273 • directadental.com

One of the first things I noticed when I started practicing inside the lab was that technicians and dentists check interproximal contacts very differently. Dentists check the proximal contacts of crowns intraorally with dental floss, because ultimately for the patient, it is how the contact feels during flossing that determines whether or not the contact is clinically acceptable. Laboratory technicians, on the other hand, typically check proximal contacts on the solid model with a piece of articulating paper. The advantage of this is that when the contact is too heavy, it shows the technician exactly where the contact needs to be adjusted. It’s a great way to specifically locate where the heavy contact needs to be adjusted, but it doesn’t at all relate to how the dentist and patient define a successful contact. Enter SpotIt, a product that finally combines the best aspects of both previously mentioned methods. Because it’s dental floss, we are checking the contact the same way that the patient will be checking the contact. But because it’s also coated with articulating media, if the contact is too heavy intraorally, the dentist or dental assistant can adjust the proximal contact precisely. Simple and genius.