CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST 83 band handpieces. The Ultra Mini uses an angular bearing, which withstands a larger axial load than a deep groove bearing. An angular bearing has a groove only on one side, with a basket-shaped retainer that holds the ball from all sides. By using an angular bearing, we achieved about twice the retainer strength and reduced axial run out. Through repeated experiments and durability tests, we achieved the present bearing specification over a period of about five years. The bearing is the core of turbines and contra-angles and is the most vulnerable to damage. Because technology continuously advances over time, our development has never ceased even after the release of the Ultra Mini in 2022. – The Ultra Mini also has an improved water injection method. Tanaka: A conventional red band handpiece uses a three-port water irrigation system. In the case of three-port water injection, a complicated pipeline is required inside the head, which inevitably increases the head height. Therefore, we designed the Ultra Mini head to use a unique, single-port water injection system. However, with the single-port water injection used in general small heads, the water injection power is simply reduced to one-third.In the case of a red band handpiece, they are often used under higher loads than air turbines, and cooling the bur is important because heat generated in the cutting area may have an adverse effect on the tooth pulp. In order to Size comparison between Torqtech Red Band Handpiece Standard vs. Ultra Mini Water spraying with the wide one-port system Unique chip air outlet of the Ultra Mini (Left) Accurate water injection (Right) Inaccurate water injection (The photos were taken without chip air. Due to the temperature increase of the bur, the temperature indicating material has changed its color to white to indicate high temperatures.) avoid this issue, we developed an all-new wide, single-port water irrigation system.It has a water injection port in the center and two chip air holes on each side for a total of 4. This mechanism aims the water flow at the center and spreads it out in a fan shape. This makes it possible to cool a wider area from the shank of the bur to the tip.With single-port water injection, the water could easily miss the bur, which could cause the bur to heat up and the teeth to char. Wide, single-port water irrigation is unique and is unaffected by water and chip air pressure. (The wide one-port system is patent pending.) – What ideas were used in the wide singleport system? Tanaka: Unlike common chip air tubing, which has one tube through to the air outlet, the Ultra Mini has a tube that branches to four air outlets. The holes are so small that it is difficult to visually find them on the actual product. Each hole is only 0.2mm, about the size of hair. Specialists with long experience in processing have combined their expertise to realize this product. Engineers engaged in production upgraded their skills through in-house training to handle the extremely precise processing and complex assembling necessary to produce the Ultra Mini. The final assembling and product inspection require especially high skills that only several engineers are certified for. Although this may not be an ideal process from the viewpoint of productivity, we cannot avoid this aspect in pursuit of the most compact size and the highest durability in the world. We believe that, by going our own way to boldly challenge precise and complex processing and assembling, we can establish unique and unparalleled characteristics. We cannot afford to compromise the knowledge, skills, and passion that we have inherited from our predecessors. We realized the Ultra Mini by aiming to develop the most compact head size in the world, resolving many difficulties one after another through concerted efforts of the development and manufacturing teams. I hope that clinicians will immediately feel the difference and experience the high usability and durability achieved through all these efforts. u COMPANY PROFILE
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