Dental Professionals, will they step up to the plate this time around?

After the Overlay Cosmetic Appliance that took me ten years to develop was aired on NBC news stations and appeared in newspapers and dental journals, it became known as Snap on Teeth. Unable to fill the demand all by myself, I contacted dental manufacturers to modify their existing equipment and materials to simplify the construction process. After they all refused, and unable to find dental technicians I could train, I decided it was time for closure and left the dental industry to write a novel. Now that my novel has been completed, and after being inspired by emails such as the following, I began revisiting the idea of returning to my former profession. That’s only if dental manufacturers and dental professionals step in to help.


“I have worn teeth with vertical loss. I had small teeth all my life and was always conscious about them. When I speak it seems like I have no teeth and people have made fun of me about it. At times this makes me depressed and I don’t have the money for a major fix. Can you please help me? I’m willing to travel.”

“I've been reading about your invention and wonder why you don't continue with this really great idea...especially with all the graying in America. I for one, would snap up the possibility of using your invention for my own needs, if it were available. Have you thought maybe now would be a good time to go back and get your dream? There are so many of us (Baby boomers) who really need help with our teeth and just can't afford to do the big deal. There must be an association or some sort of sponsorship, or even a venture capitalist that would take on a project such as yours which is sooooo good for everyone. I'm thinking Oprah, maybe, or what about AARP?
Your product is needed and is such a good idea....don't let your dream die!”

If you like to learn more about the appliance you can view it on You Tube at
http://youtu.be/BHF3icrUoe8.

Arvid Saunaitis

Former dental lab owner

Deadly Involvement

In this You Tube clip, http://youtu.be/pn-0tTaAG3Q
Julie, who’s one of the main characters talks about the novel.

Subscribe to Tometalk’s channel on You Tube to be notified when the novel becomes available. You can also become friends with the author of Deadly Involvement, who goes by the name of Arvy Suntis on facebook- http://facebook.com/asaunaitis

Come visit my new site called Dentalforum

Interested to learn the saga of snap on teeth? Visit my new blog- http://arvid-saunaitis.blogspot.com

Strange world indeed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLJdFsg1iyk

TOMETALK

What Caused Dental Technology In US To Self-Destruct

As fluoride and better dental hygiene reduced the need for dental appliances, the need for technicians was also reduced. The technicians who opened their laboratories when owning a dental lab was a lucrative business, started selling their labs and retiring. Other experienced technicians began to retire as well. Many of the younger dental technicians who worked at those big labs rushed to open their own labs in their basements and garages, and to get business undercut fees charged by the existing labs. Dental schools also lowered requirements for dental students to be accepted, causing an influx of new dentists into the dental industry. As competition became fierce, dentists started undercutting each other’s fees while the HMO’s wreaked additional havoc on the dental industry.
The competition among dental labs was becoming extremely fierce. Instead of keeping up with inflation, the lab fees were coming down. The low starting wages for new recruits who graduated from two-year accredited dental technology programs made dental technology an unattractive profession and the industry stopped attracting new talent. As no surprise, due to the lack of enrolment, colleges around the country began eliminating dental technology from their curriculums. Today the trend for dentists is to send their lab work out to China where they can have a crown constructed for fewer than fifty bucks. Lead found in appliances constructed in China remains a trade secret.
Arvid Saunaitis
Former dental laboratory owner and author
http://tometalk-erudite.blogspot.com

Metal based partial dentures are about to become extinct

Compared with other technologies that have been replaced with new innovations, partial dentures or removable bridges will soon become a thing of the past because the knowledge to construct them will no longer exist. Unlike the need for full dentures, which has been reduced by preventive dentistry, the demand for partial dentures is on the rise.The reason that people lose their teeth is not always neglect. Accidents, sports injuries, genetics, prosthesis work done by cheap, less-than-quality laboratories are some of the other reasons. An improperly designed partial that fails to take in the biophysics of the oral cavity can be as damaging.Unlike a fixed bridge that requires the reduction of healthy teeth and the stress that is put on them to absorb the shock of the entire bridge span during mastication, a partial denture shares the shock with the edentulous ridge and the teeth clasped. By relining the partial every year and a half to two years, the partial can last decades and cost only a fraction of a bridge. Also unlike a cemented bridge, if another tooth is lost in the future, a denture tooth can be easily added to the same partial. Since the exacting construction of partials involves some very complex procedures, achieving desired results requires expertise. Unfortunately each procedure is usually handled by a technician familiar with only one phase of the construction process. The technician that oversees the entire process from start to finish is the department head of the partial department or the laboratory owner. For a technician to reach that level of expertise requires talent, dedication, and a minimum of five working years under the supervision of an experienced technician. Unfortunately, most of such experienced technicians, such as me, have already left the dental industry. The few dental technology schools in the United States that still remain open no longer teach partial denture construction. Before the handful of talent disappears completely, the knowledge they possess must be passed on to the next generation of technicians.Various dental, government, and outside organizations must take immediate action if this technology is to survive. I have authored several articles in dental magazines and newspapers calling attention to this problem. The only response generated so far has been from the general public. No one else seems to care.The dental manufacturers I contacted demonstrated little concern, the officials from the ADA told me that I’m being a pain and asked me to leave them alone. When I attempted to expose the truth in an on line dental journal, I immediately became a target of a few obnoxious dentists and crown and bridge technicians. By eliminating partials all together, they hope to force people to spend money on implants, crowns and bridges, dental work that only the rich can afford.
Arvid Saunaitis
Former certified dental technician - laboratory owner

Dentistry needs a major overhaul

Dentistry in this country needs a major overhaul-(After reading the following, decide for yourselves.)

Story was reported on NBC-www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/15882097.html
(There are concerns tonight that the lead found in Chinese toys may also be showing up in implants, crowns and dentures from China and India. The imports aren’t strictly regulated and have made some people sick. There are no laws requiring dentist to tell you where they buy the products, but Florida lawmakers are pushing for full disclosure.
Dentists charge patients over $1,000 for a crown. Many labs in the US charge dentists about $95.00 to construct the crown. The greedy dentists feel that paying $95.00 is too much and send their crowns out to China or India to be constructed for $35.00-$45.00.
The following is further example of their greed:
I personally invented a dental appliance the media called the snap on teeth. After my appliance was aired on NBC news stations in 2004, (Video http://youtu.be/BHF3icrUoe8 , it became an instant hit. Soon after, few dentists determined to cash in on the popularity of my appliance presented a plastic appliance that has been around for thirty years and mostly used in movies to create various characters. Robin William’s appliance in the movie Ms Doubtfire broke several times during filming, (or so I hear). My appliance has metal chewing surface, is very durable and it took me ten years to develop. Their so claimed invented appliance showed up a month after mine. How can something of quality be developed in such a short time. The reporters who reported the story on the plastic teeth did it without any investigating and their actions caused many patients to be scammed out of their hard earned money. The following are comments from patients that got ripped off:
“I went to NYC and wasted $1500 for a lower piece that looks like a toy for Halloween. I had to pay up front and when I picked them up and had them placed in my mouth, the whole office staff raved how real and beautiful they looked. The more I looked at them, the more I hated them. It also hurt. When I removed them, I though my teeth were going to fall out. I called the next day and wanted my money back. I couldn’t handle how FAKE they looked and my family and friends agreed. When I went to the office, the Dr. was a jerk and everyone was so different. How dare he sell a piece of plastic toy for $1500. To make this miserable story short, he refunded $500 and I had to sign a paper. I hope he gets caught and exposed real soon. I won’t say his name, but since there are only a couple of them using the same appliance and story, I would hope they all meet with law suits soon. I work hard for my money and I feel I have been robed and he got away with it and continues to do so.
“Hi Guys I live here in New York and was very interested in the snap-ons until I went to see Dr “I will not go back to again”. 1st of all they told me that the consultation visit was free. But when they told me that it will cost me 2,700 for the upper and lower and I will have to pay up front, no refunds, I didn’t want them. They charged me $100.00 for the 2 minutes of consultation.”
“These are a complete joke. Don't waste your time or your money unless you want to look like a circus freak. I'll be lucky if I get back even half of my bill. I called the dentist 4 hours after leaving because granted the time I allowed to get used to it, I still hate them every time I look at them. I had to take them out. Point in case: Snap on teeth are just that; Snap-On teeth. So if it's too good to be true, it probably is.”
“They look like a big hunk of white plastic stuck to your mouth.”
“They are not worth the money, I wasted mine. And I am angry.”
“I heard that they could make it look like any celebrity’s teeth (or maybe that was something else) Well, I live near New York, and I heard that "Snap on teeth" actually look like "Snap on teeth". And after seeing them, I was really disappointed.”
“My snap on smile looked huge and the dentist told me I will get used to them. At work, my co-workers said I look like Jim Carrey in the movie Mask and everyone had a good laugh. I will try to return them and get my money back. Those teeth are a joke. How can dentists be allowed to sell them?”
Back to where I left off:
NBC tried to help me and reported that in order for my appliance to be readily available, a dental manufacturer had to step in to help. After I contacted all the dental manufacturers to help me develop equipment to simplify construction and they all refused (my appliance would cut into the big profits made on crowns and veneers) and I was unable to find dental technicians to help me construct the appliances, (most capable partial denture dental technicians already left the dental industry), I decided that it's time for closure and left the dental industry myself.

Arvid Saunaitis
dentalforum@msn.com