OptraGate has been used over 100 million times

Thanks to its special design, the OptraGate lip and cheek retractor has achieved movie star status. Sprinkled with stardust though it may be, this ingenious little item is above all, handy and comfortable. And now it has hit the 100-million sales mark. Ivoclar Vivadent celebrated this success with international guests at its headquarters in Schaan, Liechtenstein.

OptraGate is easy to use, provides unfettered access and clear visibility of the treatment field for efficient workflows and ensures adequate relative isolation. With qualities like this, OptraGate is useful in almost any indication and provides valuable help in aesthetic dental treatments in particular. OptraGate is comfortable to wear and assists patients to keep their mouth open. The material is soft, flexible, latex-free and well-tolerated. OptraGate is supplied in a variety of colours and sizes, including a paediatric size. Ivoclar Vivadent has also announced a further extension to the range for 2020.

Comfort and efficiency

"Right from when we launched the product, we knew that OptraGate would have a lasting effect on the way our customers work," remembers Diego Gabathuler, CEO and previous product manager for the Optra range. "However, we would never have thought in our wildest dreams that the product would one day reach such a record." Ten million OptraGate units were sold by 2009 and 50 million by 2016. This development coincided with a rise in patient expectations for treatment comfort, combined with an increasing imperative for dental practices to maximize the efficiency of treatments.

Most popular in Russia, Germany and the USA

Russia is the strongest selling market, with almost five million OptraGates sold every year. Germany and the USA are the second and third biggest markets respectively. "Seven production lines are currently working 24/7 to cover global demand," Michael Taube, CMO, reports. And Cigdem Ygit, current product manager for OptraGate, adds: "If demand continues to grow at this pace, we will soon be producing on eight production lines." Diego Gabathuler is positive that this will be the case shortly, because: "Anyone who has ever used OptraGate always comes back to it."