3M ESPE Debuts Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S.

New digital impression system being introduced in select markets as part of strategic rollout

ST. PAUL, Minn. – (Feb. 19, 2008) – 3M ESPE announces the debut of the new 3M™ ESPE™ Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S., a digital impression system that enables the motion capture of accurate and precise impressions. The Lava C.O.S serves as the doctor’s entry point for a range of digital workflows and supports conventional processes such as PFM and CAD/CAM processes including Lava™ Restorations. The 2008 Chicago Midwinter Meeting will serve as the first showcase of the new technology and the dental industry will be the first to benefit from this breakthrough in digital imaging.
Featuring proprietary “3D in Motion” technology, a new technique for capturing 3D data, the Lava C.O.S. captures continuous 3D video images to create a digital impression. Initiating the digital workflow by providing a highly accurate digital impression, the Lava C.O.S. incorporates revolutionary hardware design, high-speed image processing algorithms and real-time modeling software. Because the Lava C.O.S. has the ability to model data in real time on a touch screen monitor, doctors receive instantaneous feedback to ensure that all essential data is captured while the patient is still in the chair.
“With this ground-breaking technology, we’re providing doctors and labs the opportunity to experience enhanced productivity and efficiency facilitated by the digital workflow – ultimately transforming the practice of dentistry,” said Eric Paley, General Manager and co-founder of Brontes Technologies, the 3M Company responsible for the development of the Lava C.O.S.
The interactive experience enhances the high-tech image of the practice and allows clinicians to offer patients a more convenient and comfortable procedure than that of traditional impressions. Doctors now have the ability to create an accurate digital impression to produce a precise fitting restoration, thereby eliminating several steps in the traditional impression making process.
This year 3M ESPE begins a strategic and regional rollout of the Lava C.O.S., by focusing on their dental lab partners and the lab’s doctor customers. With this targeted approach, every dental office and lab will receive the world class training and support expected from 3M ESPE. Installation, service and maintenance will be handled by qualified Channel Partners.
For more information visit www.3MESPE.com/LavaCOS
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3M ESPE manufactures and markets more than 2,000 products and services designed to help dental professionals improve their patients' oral health care. 3M Health Care, one of 3M’s six major business segments, provides world-class innovative products and services to help health care professionals improve the practice and delivery of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery and health information markets. For more information on the complete 3M ESPE line of dental products visit the 3M ESPE Web site at www.3MESPE.com or call the 3M ESPE Technical Hotline at 1-800-634-2249. Products are available for purchase through authorized 3M ESPE distributors.