Articulating Foil
TrollFoil’s built in handles eliminate the need to use a separate forceps or handle during placement and removal.
TrollFoil, from TrollDental, is ultrathin, 8 ?m gauge articulating foil. It is carbonated on both sides, and the manufacturer says that it delivers fast and precise blue markings. In addition, each sheet of foil has a built-in handle, which eliminates the need for forceps.
Accurate and Distinct Marking
The manufacturer says that TrollFoil provides precise markings on dry or wet surfaces, including porcelain and gold.
It didn’t come as a surprise when all 8 dentist evaluators said that distinctive and accurate marking is very important to them when purchasing articulating paper. When the evaluators were then asked to rate TrollFoil on its ability to provide accurate and distinct markings, 6 evaluators rated the articulating foil as excellent and 2 rated it as very good to good. One evaluator said that TrollFoil is “very accurate. Much better than [another foil]” he has used. A second evaluator said TrollFoil “marks in dry and semidry [areas] with clear, distinct imprints.”
Markings on Wet Surfaces
According to the manufacturer, TrollFoil works on wet or damp teeth. The evaluators were asked how important it is to them that an articulating foil work well on wet surfaces; all 8 said it is very important. When they were then asked to rate TrollFoil on its ability to create good markings on semi-wet or wet surfaces, 7 rated the foil as excellent to very good and 1 rated it as good. One evaluator commented that the foil seems to "work very well on moist surfaces." Another evaluator said, "No problems at all."
Time Savings
Each TrollFoil comes premounted in its own frame, so it can be dispensed one at a time. This built-in handle eliminates the need to use forceps for placement and removal. According to TrollDental, this saves time for the dentist at chairside.
When the dentist evaluators were asked to rate time savings when using TrollFoil, 1 rated it as excellent and 7 rated it as very good to good. One evaluator commented that his assistants “preferred using the old holders due to stability of support.” Another evaluator said that time savings was “not really a factor.” A third evaluator, however, said, “The assistant has [TrollFoil] on every tray. [It is] easy to hand to me and take back.”
Ease of Use
According to TrollDental, TrollFoil articulating foil is very easy to use. The steps for use are as follows:
- Remove each piece of TrollFoil from the carton using the sliding cardboard sleeve.
- Hold the articulating foil with the thumb on the lower bottom corner near the widest area and near the perforation.
- Tear away the perforated plastic cover.
- Grasp the widest part of the blue plastic frame.
- Place the foil in the center of the patient’s mouth. As his or her mouth closes, the cheek will protrude away from the teeth. Just before the upper and lower arches meet, position the foil between the teeth and instruct the patient to bite down.
When the 8 dentist evaluators were asked to rate ease of use of TrollFoil, 7 rated it as excellent to very good and 1 rated it as fair. One evaluator said that he found the paper “too large to hold on to, especially when checking occlusion in the molar area.” Another evaluator said, “I like the fact that I don’t need an articulating paper holder.”
Overall Satisfaction
At the end of the evaluation, the participating dentists were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with TrollFoil. Seven of the evaluators rated it as excellent to very good and 1 rated it as fair. One evaluator commented that TrollFoil is “very easy to use, either with or without a metal holder.” Another evaluator summed it up by saying that TrollFoil is “quite easy to use.”
