Dental care is a hot topic right now, with the government's recent announcement around free dental care for all New Zealanders.
But cheaper and effective dental care is already available through the sort of product a Kiwi company is championing – a dental innovation significantly reducing both the cost of dental care and the time spent in the dreaded chair.
The One Visit Crown (OVC3) represents a huge leap forward in the world of dentistry. A partially pre-formed crown that dentists can mould to match patients' teeth, the OVC3 costs up to half the price of a regular crown and can be installed in half the time.
Fin McDonald from Rhondium says that regular crowns can cost between $1200 and $2200 and necessitate two visits to the dentist.
"One Visit Crowns cost around $750-$950, dependent on the dentists you use. This is a significant saving, especially when you consider that patients will probably be getting other expensive work done at the same time. They also only need to see their dentist once for the procedure."
OVC3 matches your natural teeth. They can be used in place of any traditional crowns to restore fractured teeth, strengthen teeth that have had root canals, and replace discoloured teeth.
The procedure is not overly invasive (similar to getting a filling) and OVC3s are extremely durable. Additionally, once they are placed in the mouth, they usually don't need to be removed for procedures such as root canals.
Dr Simon McDonald (Fin's father and the founder of Rhondium) has an exemplary track record when it comes to innovative dentistry.
A dentist with a love of inventing, he previously had success in the industry with an earlier product called the V3 Matrix System, sold through his Katikati-based company Triodent. He sold Triodent to a multi-national dental company in the United States and set up Rhondium soon after.
Rhondium looks to advance dentistry both here in New Zealand and internationally and the One Visit Crown sees McDonald continue where he left off – creating a product that represents a significant development in dental care.
OVC3 was first launched in New Zealand in 2013 and since then has been used on over 20,000 patients, with great results. The lower costs involved, plus the shorter time in the dental chair, make OVC3 extremely popular with patients.
Dr McDonald hopes the word will spread and New Zealanders will start taking their dental care more seriously.
"Many New Zealanders are barred from dental care due to the cost involved. There have even been stories about people pulling out their own teeth with pliers because they can't afford to get it done at a dentist.
"If people know about and ask for the OVC3, we believe it really will save a lot of teeth. We are trying to change the thinking around dentistry and reach out to as many patients as we can."
He says the product is a challenge to the status quo, essentially a completely new category of dental product, between a large filling and a crown, that the company hopes will become an important component of people's ongoing dental health.
Rhondium has recently released OVC3 in Australia and they are looking to expand into the United Kingdom in the near future. But the company is just as excited to offer New Zealanders a home-grown invention that could help make them become more confident about their dental care options.
Those who have chosen to use OVC3 are overwhelmingly positive about their choice, says McDonald.
"There is a lot of gratitude shown by patients who have decided to choose OVC3. It's great that people finally have more options when it comes to their teeth."
If you know someone who needs a dental crown or is avoiding a dental visit – it might be worth mentioning the One Visit Crown.