Into the Light
Chances are, your customers see the light - curing light, that is. But, do they recognize the value of the latest and greatest curing technology?
Editor’s Note: First Impressions would like to acknowledge the contribution of Kerr Corp. (Orange, Calif.).
Any dental practice or specialty that works with cements, composites or bonding agents requires curing lights. The portable, hand-held instruments provide a light-based technology for hardening materials. Often, it is the hygienists who use curing lights most frequently at a dental practice, so sales reps should focus on getting the product in their hands to ensure a comfortable, ergonomic fit. Even if it takes only 40 seconds to cure a material, at the end of an eight-hour workday and a full load of patients, if the unit is too heavy or awkward to hold, your customers will not be pleased.
All about curing lights
Curing lights employ a light-based technology, rather than heat-based, to avoid burning the material that is being cured. They are comprised of a halogen or LED light bulb, a light guide and light tip.
Halogen curing lights, which have been used in dentistry for several decades, are considered the industry workhorse. Unlike LED lights, halogen lights include a base and cord and therefore are not portable. They reportedly are noisier to use than LED lights and provide a 40-second curing time. The dentist can replace the bulb when necessary. Halogen units range in price from $700 for a basic unit to $1,600 for a programmable unit with multiple functions. So, whereas a nonprogrammable unit may offer a base curing time of 10 seconds, requiring the user to press a button four times to achieve 40 seconds of curing, a programmable unit can be set for 40 seconds. In addition, some high-end units have internal fans to keep the unit cooled and digital screens with curing-time countdowns.
LED curing lights have only been available for four or five years. Considered an energy-saving light, LED units generate less heat and therefore can run longer than halogen lights. The curing process is only five seconds long. Some dentists prefer LED units because they are portable, and may be shared among operatories. LED lights range in price from $500 for a basic unit to $2,000 for a programmable unit with multi functions. A curing light should work reliably for seven to 10 years, but some experts recommend replacing them every four or five years, as newer technology becomes available.
In addition to adding light guides or replacing tips on LED lights, users must replace the batteries every 1 ½ to two years. Batteries cost about $100 and typically come with a one-year warranty. Today’s batteries are much improved over earlier nickel-metal hydride units. The dentist had to drain old batteries completely before recharging them; otherwise, their shortened "memory" would limit the extent to which the batteries could be recharged. Newer lithium ion batteries do not have the same memory issues and therefore can be fully recharged any time the user chooses to do so.
Curing lights are distinguished from one another by their light guides, which vary in size and range of light dispersion. The opening or aperture on light guides ranges from 2 to 13 mm. Guides with a smaller apertures (e.g., 2 to 4 mm) are used for work on smaller spaces, such as tacking or veneer. Periodontists often are interested in these guides. For procedures involving the posterior end of the mouth, where the teeth are larger, the practitioner needs a larger light aperture (between 11 to 13 mm), which provides a wider light dispersion. Similarly, orthodontists, who must cure the glue that bonds a patient’s braces to his or her teeth, require a different light dispersion than a dentist who cures cements or composites. Sales reps should keep in mind that halogen-based curing lights provide a broader wavelength spectrum or light dispersion than do LED lights.
Light guides are interchangeable. A dentist may begin with one 8-mm guide and then purchase additional light guides as accessories. In a pinch, if one light guide breaks, the dentist can use another one of a different aperture. But, sales reps should remind their customers that larger apertures provide a broader dispersion of light, and material will take longer to cure.
Both halogen and LED curing lights use light tips, but they require different sizes. Light tips, which are made of glass, generally last until dropped and broken. Their fiber bundle design ensures their long life, and dentists can get extensive use from each light tip. Still, back-up tips are recommended. Although barrier sleeves are available to protect light tips, they must be disinfected with products containing less than 10 percent alcohol or sterilized in an autoclave on a regular basis.
How to sell
Dentists’ biggest objection to purchasing new curing lights is cost. On one hand, they may be enticed by the latest technology, but if their current units still work, they tend to put off replacing them. Reps should remind them that the light output of curing lights diminishes over time, and the unit may not be as efficient as it once was. Some probing questions to ask include the following:
- "Doctor, what kind of curing light are you using?"
- "Are you happy with its performance?"
- "If you are not happy with the way your curing light is performing, what would you change?"
- "Are you currently using an LED curing light? If not, would you be interested in an efficient and portable product?"
- "How many operatories do you have? Would a portable unit that may be shared among you operatories increase your office efficiency?"
Sales reps should find out who in the practice uses curing lights, how often they use them and for which procedures, and then get the products into their hands. A comfortable fit makes all the difference for the user who will be more inclined to return to his or her rep for accessories and replacements.
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