With an open-package shelf life or more than 3 days, Atmos is designed to provide patients with an aesthetic treatment experience that is high performing, with clarity, durability and proper stain resistance.
American Orthodontics (AO) recently introduced Atmos thermoforming plastic material. The product has been tested and engineered for best-in-class formability, clarity, moisture tolerance, and extended inventory shelf life.
“Atmos has an open-package shelf life or storage time of more than 3 days in a climate-controlled storage area,” says Kathryn Dinolfo, product manager at AO. “That could equate to weeks in office or lab conditions, compared to the typical recommendation of using similar products within 15 minutes of exposure to the atmosphere.”
Atmos Thermoforming plastic sheets can remain in open air for 10 to 14 days without warping during formation and reportedly also offers quality stain and wear resistance. According to AO, the moisture tolerance of Atmos will create less waste in the lab, and includes a Visual Inventory Management color coding system that allows orthodontists to easily identify the size of the plastic for intended usage and manage overall inventory visually.
“We did a science experiment and left one of the pieces of plastic out on the countertop for a few weeks and heated it up, and it did not have any air bubbles, “says Nancy Morales, clinical coordinator for Innovative Orthodontics in Sicklerville, NJ. “We are all super excited about that, and we have not had a single patient come back with a cracked or broken retainer.”
The appearance of air bubbles during formation is indicative of moisture failure. Exposed to 90% humidity in an environmental chamber, Atmos Thermoforming plastic did not form air bubbles even after 3 days. While the company states that this could equate to much longer periods in dryer conditions, laboratories of all sizes may benefit from the ability of Atmos to produce high quality, bubble free parts up to 3 days after opening the mylar package. Stored in an environment of no more than 75°F and 60% humidity, unopened bags of Atmos Thermoforming Plastic could be stored for as long as 3 years.
In addition to achieving lab-tested best-in-class moisture tolerance, Atmos is designed to provide patients with an excellent aesthetic treatment experience due to high performance, clarity, durability and stain resistance. It can be formed on stone models or 3D printed models.
Nicole Jane, DMD, of The Big Smile Orthodontics in Livonia, Mich, considers formability and clarity to be the most important factors in choosing a plastic for aligners. Atmos has also shown favorable results.
The product is available in .030”, .035”, and .040” to accommodate most clinical needs and arrives in lab friendly packaging allowing orthodontists to easily select the proper material from their inventory. Atmos can also be formed on equipment that requires 125 mm circles, 120 mm circles, or 5-inch squares. Atmos offers packaging options to accommodate small labs to large offices.
