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by Dr Stephan Kantharajah, Dental Sanctuary, Neutral Bay, NSW
This is a latex-free, disposable lip-and-cheek retractor. It consists of a rigid outer ring with a softer pliable sleeve. It provides 360-degree lip-and-cheek retraction.
What’s good about it
It comes in small, medium and large sizes so it’s suitable for everyone from children to adults. It’s used in our clinic with a variety of different procedures from intraoral scanning to hygiene appointments to orthodontics. It allows for good isolation and is great with any restorative treatment. If I’m cementing crowns, the job is much easier if the lips and cheeks are out of the way. This product works beautifully every time.
It’s a well-designed product that gives good access to all areas of the mouth. Patients find it comfortable to wear and there is no triggering of the gag reflex.
Without this product, you often need to use your left hand for retraction. Freeing up that hand allows for more efficient, accurate dentistry. As long as a dental assistant is working the suction properly, there’s no choking sensation for the patient.
Optragate retractors keep everything dry and provide good isolation and great visibility. It’s a staple in my surgery; I’ve been using it for the past six or seven years.
What’s not so good
It would be handy if suction could be integrated into the retractor. You also need to ensure the right size is being used so there is no discomfort for the patient. I typically put a little vaseline onto the patient’s lips prior to fitting the retractor.
