Planmeca USA prides itself on offering innovative and high tech dental equipment

Planmeca USA is the North American Subsidiary of Planmeca Oy, Helsinki, Finland. Finnish Planmeca Oy is one of the largest privately held companies in the dental equipment market. Planmeca’s product lines include dental care units, dental x-rays, digital imaging, and software applications worldwide. More than 98% of Planmeca USA’s production is exported to over 100 countries.

The company has been a forerunner in digital imaging and advanced, computer-integrated dental care concepts for years. Planmeca USA is strongly committed to research and development and innovative solutions. Planmeca USA delivers complete dental solutions with integrated high-tech device and software options with exquisite design. The company is well established in high-tech dental markets worldwide and has considerable market shares in the United States, Japan, and several European countries.



Planmeca USA has prospered and grown for the last 30 years because we have worked closely with dentists to sense future trends in equipment use and design products accordingly. Planmeca USA, Inc., was established in 1988 to meet the growing demand for high quality dental imaging units in the United States. Since then, we have partnered with select dealers to create a unique sales and distribution system for all Planmeca USA products.

From the introduction of the first microprocessor-controlled chair in 1983, to the development of the ProMax® with SCARA (selectively compliant articulated robot arm) technology, and the latest addition, ProOne, a 152-lb digital x-ray unit, Planmeca USA has always led the way with new technology. Our goal is to supply our customers with the highest quality dental equipment that is uniquely designed for today’s modern, technologically advanced dental office.

In November 2002, Planmeca USA, Inc., relocated to Roselle, Illinois. Our facility is comprised of 55,000 square feet of warehouse and office space, increasing our ability to maintain and supply inventory for our dealers as well as employ the necessary staff in our technical and customer-support departments and other crucial areas to properly support our dealer network. Planmeca USA’s 26 regional sales support representatives are highly trained, knowledgeable, and experienced professionals. Planmeca USA also employs 15 technical support technicians in its Roselle office, supplying knowledgeable and product-specific phone support to all customers.

In addition to its in-house technical staff, Planmeca USA has successfully trained hundreds of technical and sales personnel in the field as well as on-site at the Roselle facility. Our series of training sessions, including the Regional Technical Training Program, aims to provide each dealer location with trained specialists for Planmeca USA products. Currently, seven trained Planmeca USA Regional Technical Trainers are traveling across the United States conducting nationwide training courses for all authorized Planmeca USA dealer locations. This training will result in professionals who have a clear understanding of functions and terminology so they can supply accurate information on Planmeca USA products. It is important for Planmeca USA to provide dealers with a superb support system, in Roselle and in the field, for those products.

Overview of Planmeca USA’s products

ProMax® 3D Mid

Planmeca USA introduced its latest imaging unit, the Promax® 3D Mid, in May 2011. The Planmeca USA Promax® 3D Mid is a true 2D and 3D volumetric imaging unit that includes 3D imaging, panoramic, tomography, extraoral bitewing, and cephalometric to meet the varying clinical needs of today’s dental specialist. The ProMax® 3D Mid has the flexibility to take an image of a single tooth or a complete maxillofacial reconstruction, as well as the ear, sinus cavity, and a portion of the respiratory tract used for sleep apnea diagnosis. The volume sizes range from 2.4 x 4.2 cm to 16 x 16 cm, which captures the entire face.

Key features include:
•    Adjustable KV and MA
•    Pediatric mode automatically reduces volume according to a child’s anatomy
•    Works natively in a MAC OS system
•    Comes with complete software system for both 2D and 3D diagnosis
•    Can be integrated-bridged with third-party software
•    Open architecture allows for future upgradeability

The SmartPan imaging system uses the same 3D sensor for panoramic imaging, eliminating the need to change sensors while the ProMax® 3D Mid calculates up to nine different panoramic curves in 2-mm shifts from the exposure date.

“The ProMax® 3D Mid has versatile volume sizes with the ability to adjust positioning to meet the patient’s clinical needs,” said Bob Pienkowski, President of Planmeca USA, Inc. “Plus, the ProMax® 3D Mid offers various imaging modes, which automatically adjust the appropriate dose of radiation for the patient.”

Like all Planmeca USA imaging units, the ProMax® 3D Mid complies with the best practices in dentistry by using the ALARA principle to minimize radiation exposure.

iRomexis

iRomexis is a comprehensive 2D and 3D image viewer application for the iPad®. It can display all image types acquired from Planmeca USA x-ray units, including Planmeca USA ProMax® 3D. The resolution is excellent, and images can easily be used for patient education and communication as well as for consultation with colleagues. Images acquired with Romexis desktop software can be shared with mobile devices anywhere, allowing for zoom and measurement of images, viewing of ProFace 3D photos and surface renderings, adjustment of image brightness and contrast, snapshot capture and image transfer, and the capability for searching and listing all patients and images on the Planmeca USA Romexis server.



Steri-Center

Steri-Center is a complete operatory disinfection center designed to help dental professionals maintain a sterile environment easily, safely, and efficiently. Sterilization procedures can be accomplished using Steri-Center’s foot- and knee-activated “hands-free” mechanisms, thus reducing contact with potentially infectious instruments. Steri-Center’s modular design can be customized to fit any size sterilization area.



Six reasons why you can, and should, use a panoramic x-ray for bitewings

Planmeca USA’s recent success selling its ProMax 3D imaging units may have its roots in research that was conducted in the 1980s. “Even today, many dentists don’t believe that pan machines can take diagnostically reliable bitewings,” said Dr. Robert Langlais, DDS, MS, FRCD, board-certified oral and maxillofacial radiologist, Professor Emeritus, University of Texas at San Antonio, and consultant for Planmeca USA.

Recent engineering developments by Planmeca USA have made it possible for dentists to use the ProMax 3D unit, with selectively compliant articulated robot arm, or SCARA, movement. This patented technology enables dentists the freedom to produce any movement pattern required. This allows accurate and reliable volume positioning, volume-diameter adjustment, and a reduction in radiation exposure to the patient. The SCARA arm movement allows dentists to take excellent bitewing x-rays, which runs counter to the misperception that 3D units don’t take clear and precise bitewing x-rays. In fact, Planmeca USA has identified six good reasons why its 3D panoramic imaging units are better than traditional x-ray units:

1.    Better patient acceptance. Patients can easily stand or sit during a panoramic x-ray, which can be performed once, as opposed to a bitewing series of up to four x-rays that takes several steps, some of which may be uncomfortable for patients.
2.    Easier for the dentist and staff. With Planmeca USA’s ProMax 3D, dentists can now consistently open up the contacts between the posterior teeth by simply adjusting the panoramic positioning light, as compared to setting up a sensor in a holder, placing it in the patient’s mouth, aiming the x-ray machine, and repeating several of these steps for each of the subsequent bitewing exposures.
3.    Faster. The panoramic technique requires fewer steps compared to traditional dental x-rays. When a dentist turns on the machine, the patient bites into the groove in the bite block, and seconds later, the dentist has the images he/she needs.
4.    More diagnostic. This may surprise a lot of dentists, but more interproximal caries are missed with traditional bitewing x-rays than with panoramic x-rays, which provide more coverage for periodontal bone defects, periapical lesions, and pathological jaw lesions than bitewings.
5.    Less radiation exposure. A panoramic bitewing study may cut radiation dose by 40% compared to intraoral bitewing x-ray studies. A pan creates as little as 3 to 5 microsieverts versus 10 to 95 in various intraoral bitewing scenarios. Also, in pediatric mode, the dose may be up to 30% less than the adult bitewing dose.
6.    Less infection control. With traditional bitewing x-rays, dentists have to wrap and unwrap the sensor after each patient, disinfect it and the sensor holder; disinfect the machine tube head, yolk, and cone; disinfect any soiled countertop areas; and dispose of and change gloves. Using the panoramic machine requires no gloves and virtually no between-procedure cleaning or maintenance, only replacement of the bite block sleeve, which is removed by the patient. Traditional bitewing x-rays take much longer to acquire than panoramic x-rays—this adds up over time, and doctors get real time and cost savings.

This information was provided by Planmeca USA, Inc.