Wishlist-What Are the 5 Things You Couldn't Do Without?

Dr. Yogi B. Savania is a GDP, qualified in Leeds 1989, Principal at Alexandra Dental Care in Derbyshire for the past 21 years. He has held part-time clinical assistant posts in orthodontics and restorative dentistry at hospitals in Derby and Leicester.

Savania is a full member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry with a keen interest in Invisalign and composite bonding. In his spare time, he practices martial arts and is a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do.

We asked Savania about the key items in his clinic, and he chose to tell us about five items he couldn’t live without.

Twin flash camera
Dental photography is so important for documenting aesthetic cases, whether for planning or for reviewing finished results.

After many years of using a ring flash system, I now routinely use my twin flash setup, which is always ready on the side worktop. The Canon kit setup by Photomed has 270EX flash units triggered by an SP-E2 transmitter, so there are no dangling wires in the way. When showing before-and-after photos to patients, I have found the quality of the photos with the twin flash to be a step up.

This, with black contrasters and lip retractors, allows for textbook-style photos.

Loupes and LED light
I have Orascoptic XV1 loupes and light, which I’ve modified to hold a visor shield for added cross-infection prevention. I wear them for every patient—treatment or exam.

The greatest advantage of these loupes is the rechargeable batteries housed in the sidearms. I no longer get frustrated by cords or wires getting in the way while I move around. The loupes provid excellently focused light together with great magnification—seeing detail is everything!

ClinCheck software
Invisalign has this impressive software that is being improved all the time—superb for planning orthodontic cases. There are so many features on the software now that one is able to tweak the movements of teeth to a predictable and realistic level.

ClinCheck software is so accurate, it enables treatment planning of some challenging cases with Invisalign.

It’s great to be able to show patients a 3-D digital representation of their teeth with movements from all views and the final result before they commit to treatment. Patients are always impressed.

Composite instruments
I’ve gathered various composite instruments that had been recommended at numerous courses, but the ones I use routinely are a set of Nordent Duralite and a set of PDT Goldline instruments. They are great for handling, with ergonomically designed chunky, easy-grip handles, but still ideally weighted to reduce hand fatigue.

Their titanium nitride coating also helps reduce composite sticking. Hardened surfaces mean less abrasion and hence long-lasting instruments—well worth the money!

Operator chair
Posture and protection of one’s back are of paramount importance for longevity in this profession. Many years ago I invested in a chair by a Swedish company, Sundesign, (and similar styles are now available on industrialseating.co.uk). The chair has great lumbar support, and many adjustments to allow tilting to the preferred angle. It also has double-articulated armrests with variable tensions. Relaxing my forearms on these reduces shoulder strain and RSI.