Utilizing modern advancements in dental thermoforming can help increase profitability and product quality for your lab. By bringing today's advanced thermoforming systems onto your production floor, you can increase the number of revenue streams, service to clients and the quality of your output. With the right equipment and materials, your lab will be able to quickly produce appliances that are accurate, comfortable and durable.
ERKODENT® thermoforming systems offer more than 45 years of proven reliability for a wide variety of thermoformed dental applications. This unique line of countertop thermoforming units combines German engineering with superior materials to provide an accurate, consistent and economical solution for the fabrication of PFM copings, occlusal splints, nightguards, single and multilayered sports mouthguards, fluoride and bleaching trays, and orthodontic appliances.
Glidewell Laboratories utilizes ERKODENT equipment and materials for all of its thermoforming needs. "We have more than 40 ERKODENT machines at Glidewell, and each machine fabricates 10 to 20 appliances per day," said Patrick Mastin, general manager of the lab's Thermoforming Department. "Some of the machines are more than 14 years old and they rarely break; they're quite the workhorses!"
The Erkopress 300 Tp™ and standalone Erkopress 300 Tp-ci™ are the newest thermoforming units from ERKODENT. Updated from the ERKOPRESS ES 200-E™, these pressure-forming machines use compressed air to press the thermoforming material onto the model. Both units incorporate all of the improvements found on the ERKOFORM-3d™ vacuum thermoforming unit, such as a digital display and touchless temperature sensor for convenience and greater durability.
The Erkopress 300 Tp requires connection to a compressed-air supply and pressure regulator. Operating pressure is 3 to 6 bar. Functioning independently of an external compressed air system, the Erkopress 300 Tp-ci comes equipped with a high-performance integrated compressor and reserve compressed air tank. Operating pressure is up to 6 bar, with 6 bar of reserve pressure. Rounded high-grade steel filling granules and thermoforming disc samples are included with the units.
In addition to thermoformed appliances, these pressure-forming units can be used to press thermoformed PFM copings with a uniform thickness of 0.3 mm. The copings burn out very clean and have a precise fit. Thermoformed copings reduce the amount of precious alloy used to cast the copings and eliminate the need to grind down the thickness of the copings to make room for porcelain. View this instructional video "How to Make Thermoformed Copings."
Various types and thicknesses of thermoforming discs are offered for the ERKODENT line of thermoforming equipment. Used for the fabrication of splints, the most popular thermoforming disc materials are ERKOLOC-pro, with a hard co-polyester outer layer and a soft polyurethane inner layer, and hard co-polyester ERKODUR. Both ERKOLOC-pro and ERKODUR are BPA free. All thermoforming discs are manufactured using medical-grade material and precision extruding methods for the highest level of biocompatibility and tolerances.
ERKODENT is an ISO certified manufacturer and all materials are CE marked according to the EEC guidelines. A variety of tools and finishing accessories for trimming and polishing are also available.
Glidewell Direct is the exclusive distributor of ERKODENT equipment and materials in the U.S. The Erkopress 300 Tp can be purchased for $2,800. The Erkopress 300 Tp-ci with integrated compressor is available for $3,400. Order thermoforming products from Glidewell Direct.
