The Whip Mix Blog

So you're going to buy an articulator? Articulators are an invaluable aid in the treatment planning of restorative cases. There is an abundance of articulators to choose from, everything from fully adjustable to fixed articulators. In fact, did you know Whip Mix alone has 30 different articulators to choose from? With all the articulator types on the market today, the process of choosing the right one for your dental practice or laboratory can be a little overwhelming. Here are 5 questions you can ask yourself to help determine which articulator is right for you:

Q: Are you planning on using a mandibular tracing device along with your articulator?

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder continues to confuse patients, researchers, and health care professionals with its ambiguity. Although no true definition of TMJ disorder currently exists, researchers and health care professionals generally agree that it consists of any functional disturbances of the masticatory system. These include TMJ problems, myofascial pain, and temporomandibular pain. Even without a formal definition, studies show that over 10 million Americans have orofacial pain.^1,2 Additionally, 3.6% to 7% of the population has sought treatment because of their severe TMJ disorder, and approximately 33% of the population has at least one TMJ disorder symptom.^3,4,5

Calculating the return on investment is one of the most important things you can do to enhance your business performance. The ROI shows laboratory owners the financial return they can expect to receive from investing a certain amount of money and resources. Calculating the ROI makes it easy for lab owners to decide whether or not they should invest in new technology for their lab.

In order for dental labs to succeed in today's competitive market it is imperative for them to reduce operating costs, increase productivity and grow revenue. Whether your lab's goal is to survive or thrive, investing in new technology will enable your lab to:

Although temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder commonly refers to jaw pain, most patients are unaware of the vastness of its causes, signs, and symptoms. TMJ disorder can be caused by dental treatments, trauma, lifestyle habits, stressful social situations, and emotional factors.¹ These causes lead to a variety of symptoms, including neck, jaw, face, or shoulder pain; limited range of motion; and headaches. However, these symptoms can also be caused by several other problems, including bruxism, stress, teeth grinding, and improper alignment. By asking specific questions about jaw and head/face pain during each dental appointment, you can address these symptoms and determine whether or not a patient should be examined for TMJ disorder or another problem.

Did you know that there were over 50 zirconia disc providers at this year’s LMT Lab Day? That gives dental labs a host of options and price points to choose from considering that all zirconia discs are the same, or are they?

Transforming your dental lab through the adaption of lean techniques has many benefits for the lab and its bottom line. Through lean processes dental labs are able to eliminate unnecessary steps & waste, increase quality & consistency and even increase profits. However, did you know that less than 40% of labs integrating a Lean program achieve their desired results?

At Whip Mix, we always love to hear how our products are helping our customers improve efficiency, increase consistency and deliver dependable results.

It's that time of year when dental professionals from around the world invade the Windy City. The Chicago dental meetings are a great way to gain knowledge, learn about the new trends in the dental industry and see all the new products & resources that are available to your dental office, school or dental lab. Despite the unpredictable winters, the Chicago meetings attract the best and brightest the dental industry has to offer. It gives everyone the opportunity to network, get hands on experience with products and the ability to talk one-on-one to vendors and manufacturers. However, it can also be a bit overwhelming - what vendors are you going to see, what questions should you ask, what courses should you attend?

We all know that the key to a perfect smile is good oral hygiene. This means taking the time to brush, floss and see the dentist on a regular basis. A national survey from the American Dental Association and Crest® and Oral B® found that the smile outranked eyes, hair and the body as the most attractive physical feature. However, I bet you don’t know that the power of your smile goes beyond just physical. In fact, there are several known health benefits to smiling.