A TECHNOLOGICAL GAME CHANGER
Spearheading the single-patient-use dental bur industry is one of Microcopy’s greatest achievements, but their product innovation extends beyond dental burs to bring a diverse selection of solutions to dental practitioners
California in the 1970s was a hot bed of experimentation, both in terms of art and technology. It was where Silicon Valley got its start and where father-and-son team Thom Maass Sr. and Thom Maass Jr. launched their fi rst dental x-ray solutions business. Microcopy was born in the heyday of x-ray fi lm processing with the goal of creating meaningful innovations that would guarantee safe and effi cient processing and handling of radiography, while ultimately changing the way dentists captured, developed, and read x-rays. Initially, the men wanted to lessen the time it took to develop x-ray film. At the time it could take up to 5 minutes or longer to develop a single image. But, with the introduction of their INSTA-NEG and INSTA-FIX tools, radiographs that used to take several minutes would now take just seconds between the time an image was captured and the time it could be read by the clinician. For dental practices, the time savings translated into much faster patient treatment, quicker patient turnover, and ultimately more reliable results in much less time.
The success of Microcopy’s flagship products led to even newer and more improved solutions, such as InstaVeloper, a portable darkroom designed for chairside x-ray processing, and Flaps cushioned bite tabs for digital x-rays. Touted as being softer than anything on the market at the time, Flaps bite tabs are still being distributed today.
Before digitization, dental practices faced myriad issues related to film processing and handling, such as being able to mount film successfully. Microcopy’s answer was TrollMounts, a film-mounting system that simplified the way film was handled. These early innovations that simplified dentistry became the driving force behind the company.
A Pioneer in Single-Patient-Use Burs
As the company grew, Microcopy eventually moved from Newbury Park, CA, to Kennesaw, GA, in 1986. A year later, Thom Sr. retired and Thom Jr. took over as CEO. Martha Maass, Thom Jr.’s wife, also stepped into the role of vice president.
This new era in leadership coincided with a renewed focus on product development. As always, Microcopy stayed apprised of what dental practices most wanted when it came to practical solutions. The family-owned company also faced new health realities in the mid-to-late 1980s when HIV/AIDS changed the dental landscape, ultimately impacting the way dentists treat patients. Breakthrough research led to the medical community taking vital steps to protect both clinicians and patients from life-threatening infections.
Doing its part to elimate crosscontamination between patients, Microcopy pioneered the concept of single-patient-use dental burs in 1989 with the release of its longterm flagship product, NeoDiamond, originally called NovaDiamond. Dentists would no longer need to worry about poor cutting performance from a used, wornout bur, and cross-contamination concerns were eliminated. Microcopy’s single-patient-use burs were the first in the dental industry and offered a quality yet economical option for dental practices. NeoDiamond has been Microcopy’s bestselling product for almost 3 decades.
Realizing a need for a premium carbide bur, Microcopy introduced its second flagship product in 2004. NeoBurr quickly became known as a high-quality line of tungsten carbide burs, establishing itself as an award-winning leader in carbides. In 2010, NeoBurr became the first-ever presterilized carbide bur, setting yet another industry standard. In 2016, NeoBurr would be re-innovated with a blended neck design that significantly reduced breakage. Throughout the years, NeoBurr has proved to be an innovation that is the embodiment of an ideal Microcopy product.
Expanding Their GameChanging Product Lines
In 2003, Microcopy hired another key employee, Thom Jr.’s nephew, Perry Parke, as general manager, who later took over as president of the company when the original founders retired. Parke brought with him years of experience in automotive production and quality control, both of which helped pave the way for the company’s next game-changing innovation, the NeoDrys saliva absorbent.
Made of super-absorbent material, NeoDrys was first introduced as an alternative to cotton rolls used during dental procedures. Touted as being more effective than cotton, NeoDrys offers up to 15 minutes of parotid gland control and cheek retraction, making it safe and incredibly comfortable for patients. It continues to be one of the most popular products in the Microcopy catalog to this day.
Microcopy also made its first foray into the composite polisher market with the Gazelle and Minnow lineups. Gazelle is a durable, singlepatient-use nanocomposite polishing system that’s specially designed to not crumble. A miniature composite polishing system, Minnow includes small-sized cups and points that are just the right size to access areas that larger polishers can’t reach.
Exceptional Innovations for Safe and Simple Dentistry
The vision and imagination that drove each of the company’s pivotal innovations led Microcopy to adopt an official mission statement: “Exceptional innovations for safe and simple dentistry.”
Today, Microcopy is led by Paul Tucker, who was appointed CEO in 2017. He worked for many years in the dental imaging division of Eastman Kodak and Suni Medical Imagining, and has experience in both business development and leadership. “For nearly 50 years Microcopy has been developing innovative products for the dental industry,” Tucker said. “I hope to lead the team on to continuing that legacy.”
NEODIAMOND
Born in 1989, the NeoDiamond line has become the leading single-patient-use (SPU) diamond bur in the dental industry, according to Microcopy. With 20% more diamond exposure, advanced Triton bonding technology, and Swiss-made Xact-Fit shanks, these diamonds combine superior hardness and longevity with excellent cutting performance. Like all Microcopy SPU products, NeoDiamond burs are presterilized, individually wrapped in clear poly packaging, and discarded after each patient to eliminate any chance of cross-contamination. With several variations for specific procedures, NeoDiamond burs are ideal for dentists who want to get the job done quickly, accurately, and safely.
The NeoDiamond options seem endless, with burs for cutting, adjusting, finishing, endo access, zirconia, and just about any situation in which a diamond is needed. Within each category, there are several choices of shapes, sizes, and grits, which range from very fi ne to coarse, depending on the selection.
NeoDiamond has been Dr. Scott Schaffer’s top choice in diamond burs for over 20 years. He says the single-patient-use diamonds promote infection control, which was an important consideration even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the burs have a reputation for retaining their sharpness. “I believe NeoDiamond burs are just as strong as multi-patientuse burs. They stay sharp during all my procedures and are offered at a good price,” Dr. Schaffer stated.
Also weighing in on their cutting performance, Dr. Shalom Mehler said NeoDiamond burs “retain their cutting edge throughout any restorative procedure, and I almost never have to replace a diamond mid-treatment.” Dr. Mehler proudly informs patients of the safety measures his practice has in place, and he said patients are impressed that he uses single-use burs.
“Patients want to know that their safety is uppermost in our minds,” said Dr. Mehler. “Using single-use burs allows for increased trust from patient to doctor, especially during this pandemic.”
Z-Class
The Z-Class line of NeoDiamond burs includes 7 adjusters and cutters that are specifically designed to cut zirconia with minimal fracturing of the crown surface while maintaining a consistent cutting depth to ensure a smooth finished surface. Explaining that “regular diamond burs do not work well on zirconia,” Dr. Gary Dong told DPS that the NeoDiamond Z-Class burs “reduced high spots on zirconia crowns without burn marks or the need to worry about fracturing the crown.” He added, “It made adjustments easier and polished better than other products I have used.”
NEOBURR
A high-quality line of tungsten carbide burs with a virtually unbreakable, 1-piece, blended-neck design, NeoBurr provides dentists with a fast, smooth, chatter-free performance. The presterilized SPU carbides eliminate the hassle of cleaning, disinfecting, and organizing burs, and using a fresh bur every time ensures they will be sharp for an efficient cutting experience.
“I think the quality that goes into Microcopy products is the biggest advantage of using NeoBurr carbides,” shared Dr. John Horn, a dentist practicing in Hegins, PA. With Microcopy, “you know that the product you are purchasing will be reliable and come in multiple shapes and lengths to match various procedures and clinician preferences,” he added. “I like to use NeoBurr especially for the removal of failing alloy restorations. The burs cut quickly and efficiently for singlepatient-use.” Dr. Horn also pointed out that “every time you use NeoBurr you are getting a great bur that will be sharp enough to last the whole procedure.”
Suitable for many different procedures, NeoBurrs are grouped into 8 categories—operative, surgical length, metal cutters, trimming and finishing, crown prep, blade finishing, surgical, and oral surgery. There are 6 shank types—friction grip (FG), right angle latch type (RA), short shank (SS), friction grip surgical length, right angle surgical length, and straight handpiece (HP), and shank lengths range from 16.5 to 44.5 mm. With many sizes, shapes, and grits from which to choose, NeoBurr has a solution for any dentist in need of a reliable carbide bur.
NEOSHINE
These sterile, single-use disc polishers are a simple 2-step system of mini cups and points that achieve a smooth, mirror-like shine on almost any surface. With options for polishing composite, metal, porcelain, and zirconia, the fl exible discs put the finishing touch on soft and hard materials. Available in 2 sizes and color coded by materials and steps, the snap-on polishers come in 4 grits—fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse—and each package contains 100 discs with the option of additional mandrels, which are reusable.
Explaining that he had been looking for a product like NeoShine for years, Dr. Joshua Howard, who evaluated the zirconia polishers for DPS, shared, “NeoShine was able to provide a mirror-like gloss to the zirconia surface in about 2 minutes and using only 2 polishers. Amazing!” He said, “The ability to get a mirror-like polish on a milled zirconia restoration without glaze is an instant game changer” and explained how NeoShine improved the overall efficiency of his dental practice. “By reducing polishing time, we shave precious minutes from each zirconia restorative appointment, which makes our chair time more efficient and saves the practice money in the long run.” Dr. Howard concluded, “The speed of polishing and quality of the resulting surface finish are second to none! If you are a dentist who mills zirconia in-office or delivers lab-fabricated zirconia, you need these polishers. They are so much better and faster than any other polishing systems. Simply the best zirconia polishers I have ever tried.”
NEODRYS
These saliva absorbents feature medical-grade poly-netting that adheres gently to tissue with acrylate polymer, trapping moisture as a gel when in contact with saliva. The comfort edge technology creates a soft, flexible edge with no sharp corners, and the protective backing and patented design help retract the cheek. The pads are designed to absorb saliva and provide enough room for clinicians to work while protecting the patient’s cheek from injury during dental procedures. An optional reflective backing (or original white) can even help brighten up the oral cavity.
As a pediatric dentist, Dr. William Lieberman knows it’s difficult to contain saliva, especially with young children who are often uncooperative and for whom rubber dams and suction or retraction units are less than desirable. That’s why he’s been relying on NeoDrys saliva absorbers for over 20 years. “They are highly absorbent, thin, easy to place, and easy to remove,” he told DPS. “The various sizes are a huge bonus because we frequently need to use the smallest ones on our very young patients.” Dr. Lieberman says he uses NeoDrys frequently when placing sealants, which typically requires a completely dry fi eld. “They are always successful at retracting the cheek and containing the saliva.”
FLAPS
Flaps are self-sticking foam bite tabs that are easy to position and attach quickly to an x-ray film or sensor. The cushioned tab holds film or sensor securely, allowing for full occlusion with visual reference for accurate placement and alignment. The tab’s soft design helps provide comfort for the patient while reducing gagging. They are available in 2 types—original for sizes 0, 1, and 2 x-rays and long for sizes 0, 1, and 2 sensors.
Twyla Rader, LDH, discovered that patients like the “cushiony feel” of Flaps and said they are “easy to adhere to the sensor.” Explaining that Flaps are “better than paper bitewing tabs—softer and easier for the patient,” hygienist Amy Corder said the bite tabs “stick well” and are “soft and flexible.” In fact, she said she no longer needs an x-ray holder, which can add extra bulk.
Ending the Great Debate
Most of us have been conditioned to recognize that when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, eating a dessert with zero calories or being randomly selected as the winner of a “free” cruise. Or, in the world of restorative dentistry, finding a highquality single-use bur.
For those who may still be on the fence when it comes to the great debate over multiuse vs single-use burs, Microcopy aims to end the debate once and for all by ensuring that every bur in its NeoDiamond product line—regardless of its shape, size, or grit—offers the best of both worlds: multiuse quality in a single-use package.
“I made the switch to Microcopy burs because I became interested in a disposable, single-patientuse diamond that would retain its cutting edge throughout my procedure,” explained Dr. Shalom Mehler. “Using Microcopy disposable burs has allowed me to treat patients in a quicker manner, which reduces stress levels all around. I also realized disposable burs could save my staff time in sterilization and allow me to remain on the ‘cutting edge’ throughout the procedure.”
