11 July 2022

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Let the flexibility move your fingers in perfect harmony IrriFlex®, smart products for endo lovers

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Today, we interview Benoit Fontaine, Business development manager at Produits Dentaires SA.

Endodontics is a complex specialty; the physician's experience and the decisions they make are the keys to success, but technology is an important ally. Do you agree with this statement? What do you think are the most important technological advances in recent years?

We believe that endo specialists are giving a lot of passion to their discipline. They are looking for new solutions to improve their dental practice. In the meantime, and fortunately, the industry regularly develops new devices and disposables. In the end, dentists and dental manufacturers need each other to perform and give patients satisfaction. Root canal shaping and therefore rotary files have often been considered the most important stages in endodontics. But more recently, many innovations were provided in obturation but also in irrigation.

What are the most important aspects to consider in the specifics of root canal treatment? And what are the most significant challenges?

All the stages are playing a specific role but root canal preparation sequences have been greatly reduced in recent years. As a consequence, the practitioners are able to dedicate more time to disinfection and irrigation. And having a clean root canal from the pulp floor to the apex is important so as to proceed further, save the teeth, and prevent future unnecessary complications.

How can technology help overcome these challenges?

In irrigation, there are already very advanced chairside technologies used by a very limited of endo specialists as they request major’s investments. On the other hand, the majority of the conventional irrigation needles are metal made and can therefore cause perforations or clean the root canal partially. By only changing the material of the needle into polymer, we can lift these restrictions in particular.

What kind of technology do you bring to the market? What are the differences between this technology and what has been previously used?

The plastic material brings flexibility (easy access to working length whatever the root canal anatomy even when curved geometry), and safety (atraumatic with no risk of breakage or perforation). The two side vents back-to-back (exclusive development) bring significant efficiency with perfect balanced irrigant expulsion towards dentinal walls (elimination of debris, smear layer, and biofilm). The 4% conicity (exclusive development), by following the shape of the canal and instrumentations, maximizes irrigant shear stress applied to the root canal wall. The depth marks (exclusive development) allow visual depth control of working length (18, 19, 20, and 22mm).

What is the supporting clinical evidence?

The design stages of the irrigation needle were conducted in collaboration with the universities of Montpellier, Marseille, and Toulouse in France, as well as Geneva in Switzerland. Several successive works in terms of irrigation efficiency and safety of the cannula have been performed during the development. The latest published research, carried out in Geneva, also relates to the importance of the solution flow rate during irrigation which emphasizes the importance of having a smooth, resistance-free irrigation motion, to be able to focus on the constant pressure exerted on the syringe by the clinician.

Based on your expertise as a medical device manufacturer, should we expect more innovations soon, and in what direction?

We have become a major player in the dental industry by mastering the production of plastic irrigation needles with USPs. Produits Dentaires is constantly evaluating the feasibility of new projects. Irrigation is a recent topic. But in view of our already existing success in such a short time we want to strengthen this range in the future. It is still too early to say, but it may be a question of optimizing the production tool as well as creating a new reference with other properties.

Tell us about Produits Dentaires; how does a company stay competitive from both a novelty and economic perspective in an era where speed of response to market needs is such a critical element of success?

On one hand regulatory is becoming more and more demanding, especially for small and medium-sized structures. This can potentially slow down our innovation process, thus the regulatory strategy is a key point in our decision-making process. However, we are lucky enough to be located in Switzerland in a region which gathers a lot of expertise in R&D as well as solutions for production. As you probably know quality is also our priority. These criteria add value to our global offer and are recognized by our users around the world.

Where can we find information to learn more about PD, IrriFlex®, and Glide-cleaning?

You can find all needed information by visiting our dedicated website www.pd-irriflex.com

Stay tuned. In the next weeks, on Dentistry33, you will find a clinical case using IrriFlex®.

About Benoit Fontaine

Benoit has a significant experience in the sales distribution of endodontic and implant solutions across the world. He is currently in charge of developing the business activity of Produits Dentaires in the USA.

About Produits Dentaires SA

Located on the shores of Lac Leman and at the foot of the Swiss Alps, the company has been able to develop in an exceptional environment. The proximity of a dense industrial network with its specific competencies, as well as academic centers, has enabled the company to surround itself with highly qualified personnel.

Produits Dentaires is proud of its international image of quality and innovation of “Swiss Made” and perfectly embodies the core values of Swiss industry. In fact, we are one of the founding members of the Association of the Swiss Dental Industry, which was founded more than 60 years ago and brings together dozens of manufacturers, most of them of world renown.

The close cooperation with experts in many countries allows Produits Dentaires to understand the development of the international dental sector and the future challenges for dentists. Translating clinical needs into innovative products to improve the quality of dental care is our greatest source of motivation. Together we contribute to the development of dentistry for the benefit of patients worldwide!

Produits Dentaires products are available through specialized resellers and other business partners in over 100 countries and meet the specific needs of various dental professionals, from general practitioners to endodontics specialists.