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SensAble Helps Dental Labs to 'Go Digital' for Production of Valplast Flexible Partial Dentures

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First Dental CAD/CAM System To Support Flexible Partials
Posted: February 23, 2009
SensAble Helps Dental Labs to 'Go Digital' for Production of Valplast® Flexible Partial Dentures

First Dental CAD/CAM System To Support Flexible Partials; Digital Precision Lets Labs Deliver Better Fit In Less Time for a Better Patient Experience

WOBURN, Mass. February 23, 2009 --(BUSINESS WIRE)--SensAble Technologies, Inc®, the leading provider of force-feedback haptic devices and touch-enabled 3D modeling solutions, announced that its SensAble Dental Lab System is now the first dental CAD/CAM system to support the design and fabrication of Valplast® removable partials. A flexible nylon restoration that eliminates the need for metal clasps, Valplast partials are in high demand by dentists and patients for their comfort and aesthetics. By streamlining technique-sensitive processes required for producing flexible partials, SensAble's system helps dental labs to deliver a better fit in less time – with partials that require less chair time for the dentist and provide a better experience for the patient.

Proven in over 60 years of use, the Valplast material is strong, non-invasive and virtually invisible. Because Valplast partials use a tissue-bearing technique for retention, they demand highly skilled and experienced lab technicians to design restorations with the precise set of undercuts needed to hold them in place. Instead of eyeballing their design to identify undercuts visually, SensAble's digital survey feature shows the lab technician the location and depth of all the undercuts at the same time – allowing them to quickly design the denture for optimal retention.

The SensAble Dental Lab System streamlines the often tricky steps for assuring consistent thickness in the flexible partial. Working with "digital wax," technicians of any skill level can define the exact thickness required in specific areas of the design. They can design Valplast partials with the same digital accuracy, consistency and repeatability as with the wide range of dental restorations supported in SensAble's system, including metal partials and full contour crown & bridge. The system's digital precision also greatly reduces the time-consuming finishing steps such as grinding and polishing, and allows labs to deliver restorations requiring fewer adjustments and less chair time at the dentist's office.

"Creating Valplast partials has required the same 60-year old process of manually modeling in wax -- until now," said Bill Stroh, president of Williams Dental Lab in Erie PA. Stroh, an innovator and long-time Valplast product user, developed the design and fabrication process for using the SensAble Dental Lab System to create flexible partials. "With SensAble's system, my technicians are creating better fitting Valplast partials, and saving 30 minutes on each case. The system's versatility is always amazing us. I've been using the SensAble system successfully for the past 18 months to make metal partial frameworks, and now I can leverage the system to make our Valplast partials as well."

"We're excited to see labs like Williams using digital design tools to accelerate the production of Valplast flexible partial dentures," said Justin Marks, business development manager, Valplast International Corp. "There has been no question that dental lab technology is moving in the direction of digital design and fabrication techniques and we are thrilled to see these technologies being applied to removable restorative dentistry. We're pleased to join SensAble in providing dental labs with next-generation materials and digital processes that deliver better dentures with less working time, and more consistent results."

Valplast will exhibit flexible partials designed and fabricated using the SensAble Dental lab System at the Chicago Dental Society's 144th Midwinter Meeting, (booth 161) and both companies will be showcasing their products at LAB DAY Chicago, booths 907-909 (SensAble) and booth 827 (Valplast).

About Valplast International Corp.
Valplast International Corp. has been the leading manufacturer of flexible dental resins and injection molding equipment for the dental laboratory since 1953. Dentists are increasingly prescribing Valplast® for the excellent aesthetics, comfort, longevity and function that they bring to a removable partial denture. Reduced chair time and non-invasive procedures make Valplast® an attractive choice for patients wishing to preserve natural looking aesthetics and reduce the high costs associated with fixed restorations. Thousands of dental laboratories and technicians choose Valplast® for the simplified procedures involved in processing that save time and materials when compared to other traditional RPD fabrication techniques.

About the SensAble Dental Lab System
The SensAble Dental Lab System is an integrated digital solution to scan, design and fabricate common dental restorations. It is the first integrated digital solution to support the production process for removable partial frameworks, as well as full contour crown and bridge. The system's unique "3D Virtual Touch" stylus allows technicians to digitally design multiple restoration types with unmatched speed and precision – while keeping the artistry and manual dexterity they've spent years perfecting. In the SensAble system, technicians hold a "Nintendo-Wii-like" haptic (touch-enabled) device instead of a computer mouse. They use virtual wax-up tools to literally "feel" the on-screen model as they apply, smooth and carve "digital wax." This touch-enabled approach mimics the traditional method of hand modeling dental restorations – yet adds the consistency, precision and repeatability of a digital system.

About SensAble Technologies
Founded in 1993, SensAble Technologies is a leading developer of 3D touch-enabled (force feedback) solutions and technology that allow users to not only see and hear an on-screen computer application, but to actually 'feel' it. With 34 patents granted and over 7,000 systems installed worldwide, SensAble Technologies' haptic technology is being used in applications ranging from designing toys and footwear, to surgical simulation and stroke rehabilitation, to dental restorations, as well as a range of research and robotic applications. The company markets its own 3D modeling solutions as well as its haptic devices and developer toolkits to medical, dental, design, and manufacturing companies; educational and research institutions; and OEMs. SensAble products are available through direct and reseller channels worldwide.
http://www.sensable.com.

PHANTOM, SensAble and SensAble Technologies, Inc. are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.
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