Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes (Green)
3M ESPE
Easy-to-use syringes reduce waste and allow for precise placement of impression material.
To help reduce the amount of impression material waste clinicians experience with traditional dispensing systems, 3M ESPE created single-use intra-oral syringes for polyether and vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) materials. According to 3M ESPE, use of Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes results in 67% less VPS material waste, compared with hand dispenser tips. The Impregum Intra-oral Syringe leads to 84% less polyether material waste.
The syringes are designed to enable users to dispense individual doses of wash material, giving them exact control over the material amount. After filling one of the syringes from a hand dispenser cartridge, the syringe’s unique design allows the user to extrude nearly all of the material, further reducing waste.
Eleven dentists participated in the evaluation of the Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes. The dentists rated and provided feedback on such features as ease of loading and dispensing, intraoral handling, and amount of material waste.
Ease of Use (Loading and Dispensing)
The manufacturer describes the Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes as easy to load and dispense. The syringe is first filled from a hand dispenser cartridge, the tip is flipped up from its original 90-degree position to 180 degrees, and then the material is dispensed around the preparation.
When asked to rate the ease of use of Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes, 5 dentists rated them as excellent, 3 rated them as very good, and 3 rated them as good. Seven evaluators noted ease of use as one of their favorite features. An evaluator from Johnstown, CO, with 8 years of experience described the syringes as the “easiest product to load that we have worked with.” He went on to say, “My assistants love the product.”
Intra-oral Handling
3M ESPE describes the slim size of the Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes as easy to handle, which promotes better patient compliance. In addition, the syringes are said to allow a better view inside the mouth and easier access to the entire sulcus for more precise material placement and an accurate impression.
The evaluators were asked to rate intra-oral handling of the syringes, including application of material and access to hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. Eight evaluators rated handling as excellent and 3 rated it as very good.
When asked what they liked best about the syringes, an evaluator with 31 years of experience cited, “The ability to reach the distal of the posterior molars.” This same evaluator said that he found the intra-oral syringes to be much better than similar products offered by other manufacturers. Another evaluator noted that the syringes are “easy to use in any part of the mouth.”
Material Waste
The evaluators were asked to rate the Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes with regard to material waste and control of material amount. Five evaluators rated this feature as excellent, 3 rated it as very good, 2 rated it as fair, and 1 rated it as poor.
An evaluator from Oakland, CA, who has been in practice for 26 years said, “There is minimal waste. Definitely less than traditional mixing and intra-oral tips combined.” He went on to say that he combined “remains from multiple cartridges into one syringe.” This same evaluator said he would definitely purchase the syringes in the future and recommend them to colleagues.
Overall Satisfaction
The evaluators were asked if there was anything they would like to see improved or changed about the Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes. An evaluator from Rockville, MD, who said that the syringes are much better than similar products, commented that he would like to see 3M ESPE “design a product to squeeze [rather than] a plunger.” Another evaluator said, “It would be nice to have a similar syringe for heavy-bodied or tray materials.”
When asked about overall satisfaction, 4 evaluators rated Impregum and Imprint 3 Intra-oral Syringes as excellent, 4 rated them as very good, 1 rated them as good, 1 rated them as fair, and 1 rated them as poor.
An evaluator with 10 years of experience said, “I liked best the small sizes of the tip; very nice when dispensing because it went right where I wanted it to go.” She also listed waste control as one of her favorite features.
