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Managing Color in Your Acrylic Department |
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Originally published June 2006
Managing Color in Your Acrylic Department
Life for the lab tech sure was a lot easier when retainers only came in clear and pink. I know that in my own case, investing in a larger inventory of liquids and powders, deciding how wide of a selection of creative options to offer my doctors, and being concerned that my efficiency would be hampered by focusing on creativity rather than productivity were enough to make my head spin and wish I could stay in a two-tone world. The unfortunate reality is that the expectations of both patients and orthodontists are in a continual upward curve. It’s all about what’s hot and what’s not, and regardless of being a small lab or a large one, you are expected to deliver today’s favorite flavor.
The world of color and style in orthodontic appliances has created terrific marketing opportunities, while at the same time presenting significant management challenges. Working for a progressive and market-savvy doctor, color had been a requirement in my lab for years. For reference purposes, I had been using color chips that I fabricated myself because the color chart from my acrylic supplier was unmanageably huge or simply not available. After I started mixing my own colors from concentrates, there wasn’t a color chart on the planet that would match my palette.
Sampling some of Wehmer’s pre-mixed color monomers, and seeing that they had a nice easy-to-manage color chart, I began using their acrylic products. I was able to customize the color chart myself by cutting off the panels that I wasn’t using (polymer, sparkle, and glow colors), and offering the monomer section as a professional-looking chairside color selector for the doctor. After free-sampling Wehmer color polymers, and getting some practice creating multi-colored retainers like the one pictured above, I added these options to my repertoire. What’s great about Wehmer’s color chart is that it has a wide selection of color options without going over the top into inventory levels that are out of control both in size and number. I was able to get a complete inventory kit of premixed monomers and color polymers for just around $300.00 and replacement colors are replenished for as little as $8.00 each in 4 oz. containers. I’ve been able to reduce my inventory levels both in volume and dollars while keeping my monomer stock fresh for appliance consistency.
Just a quick note on brand consistency. Different acrylic brands often require their own different technique to provide optimum results. Not better. Not worse. Just different. It’s really important from an efficiency standpoint to standardize on a brand you like in terms of properties and color selection. If you use different brands and different techniques, it will inevitably hamper your efficiency. If you use different brands of acrylic and don’t change your technique, it will effect the quality and consistency of your appliances. Both scenarios are losers. Another point that makes brand consistency an important issue is troubleshooting. OK. Most of you probably never have a problem, but I run into something puzzling every now and then. Maybe it’s porosity, or lack of cure, or unusual shrinkage. Whatever it is, it’s good to know that you can eliminate one variable by knowing that you have only one chemical formulation at work with your powder and liquid. From there, a reputable and knowledgeable supplier can help you find the solution. My own personal experience points to technique issues in most cases where there was a question of performance, or in a very few instances, contamination or product compromise from environmental conditions (i.e., excessive heat).
Remember .... more isn’t always better. Have a complete palette available for your color options, but who really needs five different shades of blue? Seek out sizes of monomer that you are confident you will use in a year. Purchase products that are compatible with each other. The fewer brands the better. And follow manufacturers’ technique guides. How you use a product can dramatically effect your final results. John Dorsey / DW Lab
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2009 Laboratory Equipment and Products (3962)