CAO Group’s Curing Lights Deliver Ergonomics, Controlled Power
Compendium features peer-reviewed articles and continuing education opportunities on restorative techniques, clinical insights, and dental innovations, offering essential knowledge for dental professionals.
June 1, 2012
Volume 33, Issue 6, June 2012
Page(s): pp 446-447
With more than 60 issued and 80 pending US and international patents, CAO Group, Inc. is at the forefront of creating new and advanced technologies in a broad spectrum of specialties, including dentistry. A pioneer of the light-emitting diode (LED) curing light, CAO Group has been producing curing lights as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a number of different companies, as well as under its own brand, for more than 10 years. During the time spent developing curing lights, CAO Group has been particularly focused on fine-tuning ergonomics and improving the power control of its products.
“What makes us unique,” says Joel Melton, Manager of Marketing & Customer Care, “is that we were instrumental in beginning this [LED curing light] product category. As we’ve built more and more products and have done an increasing amount of research in this area, we’ve gotten a plethora of user feedback. We’ve utilized all this information to develop our next generation of products.”
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Melton says CAO Group’s attention to the needs of the dental community has led to a number of innovations in the field of curing lights. “We have always been conscious of the requirements of our customers. Our desire and ability to address their issues and meet their needs has allowed CAO Group to develop and manufacture exceptional products,” he exclaims.
CAO Group’s Ascent® PX curing light features what Melton calls “practical user ergonomics.” That is, the device is designed to enable the dentist or assistant operating the curing light to be able to use it in the most comfortable way possible. Melton explains that curing lights are typically held in a gun-style or pen-style grip, depending on the user and their position to the patient. Regardless of how the user holds the lights, the operator must twist their hand and wrist to direct the curing light toward the appropriate tooth surface, which can eventually lead to carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and other joint and tendon injuries. There is a great need in dentistry, Melton insists, to minimize the pain and difficulty associated with prolonged use of curing lights.
Aimed at avoiding these potential problems, the Ascent PX features a swivel wand at the end of the light that is positioned at the correct surface while enabling the operator to leave his or her hand in the most comfortable position, circumventing any twisting of the wrist. “Using the Ascent PX only requires a simple rotation of the wand to move the light from occlusal surfaces to buccal and lingual surfaces. The hand stays in a very comfortable position at all times,” says Melton. This reduces the amount of stress the operator puts on his or her wrist, and aids in avoiding potential joint issues.
In addition to its outstanding ergonomics, the Ascent PX cures quickly and completely. It features a broad dual spectrum output of 377 nm to 490 nm. This makes the device capable of curing virtually any curable dental material on the market today. And while powerful, the Ascent PX offers the user what Melton calls “controlled power.” He explains that more light output power is not necessarily always better when it comes to curing lights. “It is too easy to merely increase the light output of curing lights; and too much output at the wrong time, in the wrong place, can damage both soft tissue and teeth,” he says. The controlled power output found in CAO Group curing lights allows the lights to cure both rapidly and deeply, but without damaging surrounding tissues.
Another standout feature of the Ascent PX is its 3-day battery life. “Because the device has such a long battery life, it does not need to go back to the charging stand every time someone uses it, or even every night,” Melton explains. The Ascent PX’s charging stand is designed to charge three curing lights simultaneously, and full recharge occurs in less than 2 hours. In addition, the unit’s charging station only needs to be used once or twice a week, which allows clinicians to keep it in a room away from infection control and wipe-down areas. This means there is less to clean between patients. The Ascent PX is also shaped to fit in standard handpiece holders on delivery units, so the operator is able to leave it with his or her other instruments, and not on the charging stand. All of this adds up to increased convenience for the user.
Melton also points out that the Ascent PX has extremely intuitive controls. “The operator should never have any trouble using our products,” he says, adding that the Ascent PX’s user manual is extremely thorough and clearly provides all the information an operator will need to successfully use the curing light. The on/off switch, the mode switch, and the timer control are plainly identified and located right next to the display screen, allowing the operator to immediately see any changes he or she makes. The Ascent PX has four different modes—boost, standard, ramp, and pulse—all of which have different applications.
Looking to the future, Melton says that CAO Group anticipates expanding some of its other product lines, such as diode lasers, caries prevention products, and film delivery products. “We’ve been very successful with our film delivery products, in particular Sheer White!®, and our fluoride delivery systems, and we are looking to continue to pursue those avenues in the future,” he asserts. “At CAO Group we strive to incorporate the most current research and as much user feedback as possible to develop our next-generation products, from curing lights to whitening systems.”
CAO Group, Inc.
4628 West Skyhawk Dr
West Jordan, Utah 84084
877-236-4408
dentalaegis.com/go/cced161
