Valplast and Flexite partial

[albert@]

Guys kindly help me out here

I Is it true that while Valplast are made from Nylon like material , Flexite are made from Vinyl composite. What are the pros and cons of nylon versus vinyl made flexible denture ?

2. Is it true that if both are made to the same thickness, flexite are firmer than valplast and thus with flexite they can be made slightly thinner than valplast and yet as strong. Therefore being able to make them thinner makes Flexite more translucent than valplast and thus it blends better with the gum color , making it slightly more asthetically pleasing.

3. Is it true that Flexite are more "dentist friendly" meaning easier for dentist to adjust for example sore spots in comparison to Valplast ?


PS: missing tooth are #21 and #22 upper central and lateral incisor. Rest of teeth are healthy and properly aligned.

In such case would going to a General dentist be enough or advisable to go to a prosthodentist for the required removable partial denture design ? Seems to not be a really complicated case that would require seeking the more expensive prosthodentist to design and make the partial removable denture . Am I wrong ?

Thank you

 

[Flipperlady]

I was on the phone today with several people talking about vinyl dentures and one interesting point was made that with flexibles, given humidity levels etc... that the nylon cartridges are more apt to blow up than vinyl. I have never heard of this before. i also learned that all of the vinyl based dentures are processed with a little monomer. The reason they are considered hypoallergenic is that all of the free monomer is used up. I also learned that vinyl can be a real pain in the tush.

 

[AJEL]

More over Valplast is a 1950's nylon "Polyamides" Flexite has some formulas simular, they also have a a thermoplastic acrylic "PMMA", The Vinyl would be Astron 1080 and can be processed with injection or trial packing. Myerson & Flexite also have Acetal resin, like is used in the "snap on smile" The nylon & acetal are very strong requiring special furnaces & hi injection pressures, they are also almost impossible to repair. The old Valplast formula tends to be very sensitive to moisture (sponges happen),TCS has a nice medical grade nylon composite like the Myerson CDM material it is easier to finish, and polishes well. A true vinyl denture when processed correctly is no harder to handle than standard premium PMMA, and can be relined & repaired with PMMA. But the vinyl is not flexable for what U are suggesting. If U have the equipment U might be best suited with a snap on type restoration like a tooth colored nesbit of acetal material. If U do not have the injector, Astron has a Butelmethy in light(62),med(65),dark(69) that might work it is flexable like their clearsplint material, but I have experienced it holding up only a few years. If U are processing with teeth use .5mm drill to make diatorics in teeth.

 

[JohnWilson]

Very good response with good information. We have been utilizing exclusively valplast for close to 15 years and it's a wonderful product. Some of the other varieties I have tried all have some shortcomings when I compare it to Valplast.

 

[albert@]

Very good response with good information. We have been utilizing exclusively valplast for close to 15 years and it's a wonderful product. Some of the other varieties I have tried all have some shortcomings when I compare it to Valplast.

Sir , in your experience what shortcoming does flexite has against valplast in terms of
1 aesthetics
2.ease of adjustment for dentist (as in sore spot )
3 durability ( though Im told its best for gum health to have one replaced every 3 yrs )

In my country ( south east asia ) the american brands available here are Valplast and flexite. Another brand is VITAFLEX which I dont think is an american brand but china brand most commonly offered by dentist whose client base are the lower and middle class as they are cheaper by 30%or slightly more .

When I asked one general dentist what I should get he just said all 3 brands are just the same . So I decide to post this inquiry to get opinions from experienced dental technicians so I can make a better informed decision on what brand to select and have a dentist make such removable partial denture for me.

Thank you

 

[JohnWilson]

First off my opinion may be swayed based on the fact that I purchased the Valplast system and utilized it exclusively as my flexible system of choice in my laboratory.

With this being said I believe all systems have a learning curve and to throw one against the other with out having the same extensive experience with each is not the most scientific approach to an evaluation.

OK enough of the precursors....

As to Flexite with my limited experience I was not able to wax and finish the material as thin as I could with Valplast. It was more brittle than valplast but it did not have to have such a rigorous pre polish routine. Flexite was no where near as flexible as Valplast. Does this mean its not an exceptional product? Of course not, it just means its different. One problem I experienced was when a client that had seen a print add of a Valplast partial being squeezed in half and then he tries to do that with a flexite and it snaps well that was not a good day

Adjustibility? Well all of them have a set way to go about an adjustment but truthfully if you have a guy that is used to just doing acrylic adjustments they can really mess up a flexible fast. Teach your clients, provide an adjustment kit to new clients for a reduced fee after receiving the first case. Show them what to do and they will either adapt and love the product or never prescribe them again.

Esthetic's of the material in my mind is more about case selection and the tech fabricating the appliance more than the actual material. I have seen fantastic techs take the crappiest of materials and make very fine restorations.

The bottom line is to work with a product that has brand name recognition and has the ability to withstand market ebs and flows and will be viable down the line. In my opinion copycat products are not going to fit into either of these requirements.

 

[Mark Jackson]

Sir , in your experience what shortcoming does flexite has against valplast in terms of
1 aesthetics

Flexite is more translucent. It is also easier to make thinner, because it is a little more rigid. In terms of esthetics, I would have to say, Flexite is little better. Valplast has a bit of a bubble gum appearance as compared to Flexite or even acrylic.

2.ease of adjustment for dentist (as in sore spot )

Again, Felxite takes the cake here. Because Flexite is more ridid, and has a greater hardness, it is easier to adjust, easier to polish and does not got as many wiskers along the finish lines as Valplast does.

3 durability ( though Im told its best for gum health to have one replaced every 3 yrs )

Valplast wins hands down here. Anytime to take a material and make it harder (which makes it easier to finish and polish) you make it more brittle, and prone to breakage. Patients have a tendancy to toss these in their mouth and bite them to place, and they chip and break.

Since, nether one can be repaired easily, that means a total remake.

From a stictly business standpoint, Valplast is a much better product. We only use Flexite for our clear appliances, such as semirigid nightguards, where that hardness and translucency is needed.

 

[cdr50]

What do you think of their customer service?

 

[CYNOSURER]

What do you think of their customer service?

They are getting better. Their new facilities have really helped from what I've heard.

I agree with Mark about Valplast color which is why I only stock their Light Pink and the Light Meharry. I really like the translucency of them. I keep a flexite asmple I bought from Glidewell years ago just to show how thick and ugly those partials are.

I use Acry-marvel as a pre-pumice. Not sure how much it reduces the total finishing time but at least its done sitting at a lathe instead of standing in front of the pumice machine.

 

[jimi]

valplast has the versatility and durability to make it number one for the patient. flexite is far easier to process and finish for the lab guy.

 

[albert@]

price wise dentist charge the same for both brands here in philippines.

 

[Mark Jackson]

price wise dentist charge the same for both brands here in philippines.

Understandably so. Lab fees are the same, material and equipment costs are the same, and labor is about the same. In most cases, ony a technician can tell the difference between the two.

 

[VictoryDental]

Flexstar

Has anyone tried the FlexStar by Nobilium ??

 

[AJEL]

I've used flexstar, flexite, TCS & Myerson (CDM). Valplast back in the mid 70's. Flexite has quite a number of materials with different temperatures & properties, TCS is as flexible as Valplast with nicer appearance, Flexstar has properties similar to Flexite MP finishes well, shines nicely, is about as firm costs around the same. I rather like the Myerson (CDM) DuraFlex material lower temperature, no problems with humidity, can make really thin I haven't had breakage yet but I shouldn't say anything Murphy is always listening. CDM Duraflex finishes quickly to a brite shine (patients like shiny things). In my area the DDS seem to like translucency in the flexible with the under color coming thru. Flexstar is more opaque but seems to work well with combination cases, the metal doesn't seem to show thru so badly.

 

[Stuffdogg]

I rather like the Myerson (CDM) DuraFlex material lower temperature, no problems with humidity, can make really thin I haven't had breakage yet but I shouldn't say anything Murphy is always listening. CDM Duraflex finishes quickly to a brite shine (patients like shiny things).

Sounds like you have a lot of experience with flexibles AJEL... Im new into them and Thinking of giving duraflex a try. Ive used the hot shot gun system but not impressed with the acetal clasps as they seem brittle. I Also have used FRS and have had a few problems with fit or patients just not liking them. What do you think about Clasp-ez preformed clasps by flexite. I just used one to replace a broken clasp. Any tips or advice for us flexibles noobs here would be appreciated. thanks

 

[AJEL]

Sounds like you have a lot of experience with flexibles AJEL... Im new into them and Thinking of giving duraflex a try. Ive used the hot shot gun system but not impressed with the acetal clasps as they seem brittle. I Also have used FRS and have had a few problems with fit or patients just not liking them. What do you think about Clasp-ez preformed clasps by flexite. I just used one to replace a broken clasp. Any tips or advice for us flexibles noobs here would be appreciated. thanks

How did U shape the Clasp-ez? I use a Kada 858D hot air soldering station the stations have good temp control & U can use them for some polishing & repairs on flexible partials),& they work ok. Sounds like U have the temp a bit hi on the hot shot gun talk with Kris Shermerhorn. Me I like the duraflex & the tcs when the application is right (both materials haven't given me any problems). Take a class or 3 at a convention, talk to UR customers to see if they are even interested in flex-ables. I like it when I don't rework, or have problems. Until U get the knack Valplast & FRS I've heard to many of those stories U know (breakage, porosity,short casts)

 

[Stuffdogg]

the hot shot gun did not have the temp control. what temp do you reccomend?

For the clasp-ez, I'm using a heat gun from the craft store made for embossing . (I've used those proflex clear wire clasps before with a flame so i was familiar with the technique) those clasp-ez are so quick and easy that im wondering if I should use them regularly for my metal/acrylic combo cases and not just for repairs or adding clasps. how will they hold up versus hot shot acetal (done correctly) or nylon using standard waxed, flasked, injected method? I would love to know how you do a repair with your solder station.

 

[Stuffdogg]

... talk to UR customers to see if they are even interested in flex-ables.

yea im going to take some classes on them soon. id reccomend a metal/acrylic appliance over thermoplastis 99% of the time but the patients demand the clasps for the aesthetics. I dont even pitch them to my dentist but the orders just keep coming in so, like it or not they are here to stay. Its business so im not complaining just adapting. so thanks for sharing what you know.