Shofu Stands Out
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
July 1, 2014
Volume 5, Issue 7, July 2014
Page(s): p. 28-29
Shofu Dental has been a high-quality manufacturer of acrylic denture teeth for more than 65 years and a manufacturer of porcelain teeth for even longer. Over the decades, Shofu has become one of the leading suppliers of teeth to the global market. Although the denture market is only one facet of Shofu’s presence within the dental industry, it is an area in which the company clearly asserts its role as a business leader. First and foremost, Shofu is a market innovator rather than a market follower in terms of denture-tooth design. Its Veracia SA (semi-anatomical) line of teeth and related products are the result of years of research into tooth wear and physiological function. Based on its research findings, Shofu developed and extensively tested the unique Veracia SA line of teeth. The teeth are innovative in composition, consisting of a micro-filled hybrid composite reinforced with layered glass to provide superb esthetics, long durability, and exceptional bonding strength with the denture base. This tooth material is homogenous, so there is no concern about fracturing tooth layers that can occur with other composite teeth. Also, abrasion zones of the posterior teeth have been pre-milled to afford better mastication and movement in the mouth.
In terms of ease of use, the Veracia SA posterior teeth are designed with concave and convex mesial and distal surfaces so that the teeth fit together easily during the setup process. In addition, the Q3 Pack is a tremendous timesaver when setting teeth, and even less-experienced technicians can save as much as 50% in setup time, representing a huge cost savings for the laboratory. Also important to a dental laboratory’s business concerns is the fact that Veracia SA teeth are high-quality, durable teeth at a competitive price.
Shofu has successfully introduced the Veracia SA line of teeth into the European market, and the teeth are now available in the United States. To supplement the Veracia SA tooth line, Shofu also developed the Ceramage Gum Color Kit, the Ceramage Lite Art Kit, and Ceraresin Bond. These products can be used to distinguish the technician’s denture work and add significant value to the finished product. The Ceramage Gum Color Kit was designed to allow the technician to naturalize (esthetically enhance with natural gum colors) the denture base. The Ceramage Lite Art Kit was designed to allow the technician to naturalize the denture teeth (i.e., partial dentures) to more closely match natural dentition in the patient’s mouth or, in the case of full dentures, to customize tooth color to further enhance the denture. Ceraresin Bond is a two-part bonding system, unique compared with other systems on the market. Used in conjunction with either the Ceramage Gum Color Kit or the Ceramage Lite Art Kit, Ceraresin Bond bonds composite to acrylic or to porcelain without delamination. The first part of the bonding system, Ceraresin Bond 1 is painted onto an already abraded surface of the acrylic, composite, or porcelain to etch the surface. Once dried (approximately 10 seconds), Ceraresin Bond 2 is applied and light cured for 1 minute. Then, following directions provided with the kits, either the Ceramage Gum Color or the Ceramage Lite Art product can be applied and light cured. The use of these products can add tremendous artistry and value to the finished appliance.
Shofu offers its clients exceptional customer service that is not exceeded within the industry. For the denture market, Shofu’s customer support is unequalled in the marketplace. If Shofu customers contact the company for technical support regarding its denture teeth or any related removable product, they can be referred to an experienced removable technician who uses the same products rather than just talking to a salesperson who sells the products but has no practical experience using them. The Shofu customer service technician has the technical background to address any question or concern that the customer may have, which is a tremendous advantage for the Shofu customer.
Shofu
P 800-827-4638
W www.shofu.com
