NSK launches new products in 2013, plans more for 2014

According to Rob Gochoel, NSK Dental director of sales and marketing, the company adheres to that same “expect perfection” philosophy in its commitment to product development. Key to that commitment is the communications chain NSK continues to build in North America — linking dental professionals to NSK product engineers.

Because NSK handles every step of product development in-house — research, design, manufacturing and testing — feedback from customers is quickly funneled directly to the people who can take action.

“We’re constantly seeking out and receiving feedback in our product development efforts,” Gochoel said. “It’s all about making dentists more productive. Coming up with improvements that make dentists’ lives easier — and make their patients more comfortable is key.”

In 2013, with the year still not over, NSK has launched two major products. At least one more is expected to be out before year’s end. And at least two are far enough along that 2014 launches are already on the calendar.

Here’s a summary from Gochoel of recently launched and soon-to-launch major products and their release dates:

• March 2013: iProphy Air — a handpiece designed for dental hygiene work.
• May 2013: Ti-Max Z45L — the world’s first 45-degree electric handpiece.
• Later in October 2013 (debuting at the ADA Annual Session in New Orleans): Ti-Max X450 series — air-driven 45-degree surgical handpieces with an industry-leading two-year warranty.
• January 2014: Ti-Max Z series — a premium air-driven series.
• March/April 2014: a new handpiece maintenance unit.

iProphy Air hygiene handpiece

Launched in March, the iProphy Air handpiece is designed specifically for dental hygienists, with the core design objectives being to minimize hand fatigue, reduce noise, increase versatility and simplify cleaning and sterilization.

NSK literature describes the handpiece as having a slim and easy-to-grasp design that is up to 15 percent lighter and 10 percent shorter than competitive handpieces. The design incorporates NSK’s micro machining technology to reduce vibration and achieve “virtually silent operation.” On the versatility front, the handpiece works with all standard doriot-style disposable or metal angles and connects directly to all four-hole tubing.

A unique two-part construction enables the handpiece’s nose-cone portion to be separately sterilized for proper disinfection and compliance. Additional nose-cones can be bought separately.

The design enables the handpiece to swivel at the user’s fingertips for improved maneuverability during polishing procedures.

Ti-Max Z45L electric contra-angle

Among the top requests constantly being analyzed by NSK engineers is this: What can you do to improve accessibility and visibility when working on hard-to-reach molars? The company’s latest response, launched in May, is the Ti-Max Z45L.

According to NSK, the handpiece boasts two industry firsts: It’s the world’s first 45-degree contra-angle electric handpiece, and it has the first two-way water spray function (mist or jet, on demand). According to the company, the overall resulting design provides “effortless access to back molars that a standard contra-angle can’t match.”

The handpiece’s growing legion of fans are finding that less time is needed for sectioning and third-molar extractions compared with the standard contra-angles — reducing stress for both the clinician and patient.

The ability to instantly shift between mist or jet spray via a small switch on the handpiece base, makes it suitable for a range of procedures, such as third-molar preparation and clarifications of the root canal orifice.

The jet spray is used to prevent subcutaneous emphysema in surgical procedures, and the mist spray cools the bur while cutting. The handpiece handles a wide range of burs, from a 20 mm standard bur to a 25 mm bur.

A clean-head mechanism is designed to automatically prevent the entry of oral fluids and other contaminants into the handpiece head — prolonging the life of the bearings. A microfilter prevents particles from entering the water spray system to ensure constant, optimum cooling.

The solid titanium body is 30 percent lighter than stainless steel, while also being more durable and corrosion resistant.

A unique head-cap design creates an “anti-heat system” that helps limit heat generation during treatment — for increased patient comfort and safety.