REVIEW: Zirc's Mr. Thirsty offers affordability, ease of use, effective evacuation and more

Contemporary Products Solutions tapped Dr. Phillip Talley from Innovative Smiles at the Forum to offer his take on Zirc Dental's Mr. Thirsty evacuation and isolation product.  Read on to find out what Dr. Talley and his team had to say about the device.

The CPS Evaluation Team combined product reviews for the entire team consisting of dentists, assistants, hygienists, patient coordinators and the dental laboratory to review this product.

CPS produced the following comments and reviews following its evaluation of Mr. Thirsty by Zirc Company:

Dentist comments

• “A great alternative to Isolite, without the price”

• “I liked the isolation, and ease of use”

Assistant comments

• “It frees the assistant up to not have to hold the tongue or cheek so much, and it keeps everything visible.”

• “It supplied excellent access with a dry field. Patient was comfortable. It was easy to place.”

Hygienist comments

• “Main suction on inside face of mouthpiece, which was less likely to get clogged. Hooked directly to high volume”

• “The best thing about Mr. Thirsty is no extra hoses to contend with.”

Description

Zirc’s Mr. Thirsty provides evacuation, isolation and retraction in a single device. Mr. Thirsty provides patient with comfort, gives the clinician a clear working field, eliminates the constant interruption to use the saliva ejector, and allows the assistant to perform other duties.

How it works

Mr. Thirsty attaches directly to the operatory’s existing HVE valve and retracts the tongue and cheek, preventing them from folding in or impinging on the working area while removing fluid and debris. It can be moved to any operatory or dental office. Two parts of Mr. Thirsty require sterilization (the other parts are disposable).

Click the images below to enlarge

Packaging

It is available in a number of kits, including the Try Me Kit, which comes with everything necessary to get started with Mr. Thirsty.

Clinical indication

Zirc’s Mr. Thirsty provides evacuation, isolation and retraction in a single device.

Evaluation team feedback

The CPS evaluation team consisted of 12 offices  and used more than  200 patients to evaluate this product. Almost all the evaluation team members felt Mr. Thirsty was a great alternative to the Isolite. Seven of the 12 evaluators have the Isolite in their practice and commented for the price, Mr. Thirsty was a very close second in comparison.

Watch the video below for a Mr. Thirsty demonstration.

Several evaluators commented the best part about Mr. Thirsty was there were no extra hoses to contend with. Some commented they wished they had different sizes in the Try Me Kit. One evaluator  said, “Would be great if it was thicker at the bend area to prevent tongue from getting underneath.” Most patients commented on how comfortable Mr. Thirsty was and that the suction was very good. One dentist commented he “would gladly pay more for a solid single piece of metal and wish you didn’t have to replace the bite block, just the tongue piece.”

Almost all the evaluators said they would recommend Mr. Thirsty to their colleagues. Several team member evaluators would love to see more cool colors to enhance the patient’s interest.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

Mr. Thirsty™ attaches directly into the HVE and retracts the tongue and cheek from folding in or laying over the work area, while removing fluids and debris. When the device is in use, the assistant is able to perform other tasks in the operatory, such as seating patients or taking x-rays. Hygienists can reportedly work during prophies and root planings without interruption to use the saliva ejector. The device is portable and available in a variety of kits.
800-328-3899 • zirc.com

ABOUT THE REVIEW

With the combination of the world’s leaders in their field, Contemporary Product Solutions’ dexterous, knowledgeable and experienced leadership team maintains a sharp eye for emerging products in the field of general and restorative dentistry by providing a “Total Office” perspective of clinical information and application, incorporating photographs and videos to assist chairside procedures for better patient results. CPS (cpsmagazine.com) will continue to evaluate one product at a time with professionalism, integrity and a commitment to excellence.