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Could there be a better way to do dental implants? In this episode, we have Dr. Michael Lowe, the mastermind behind Tefball, a groundbreaking product for improving the dental implant experience for Doctors and patients. Dr. Lowe shares his compelling philosophy on success, where he underscores the necessity of vision and hard work over monetary ambitions. Dive into his fascinating story—from the hurdles of prototyping and selecting materials to his choice of VersaFlex, catapulting Tefball to the top tier of biocompatible elastomers in dentistry!
Throughout our conversation, Dr. Lowe opens up about the reception of Tefball within the dental community, showcasing how it revolutionized practice procedures and positively impacted patient outcomes. Far beyond theory, this episode offers actionable insights and strong encouragement for listeners to cement their visions into realities. Tune in to absorb this blend of dental ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit, and discover how you can elevate your own goals with persistence and innovation.
Don't miss this opportunity to transform your approach to both dentistry and your personal ambitions!
You can reach out to Dr. Michael Lowe here:
Website: https://tefball.com/ (TDM15 at Checkout for 15% off!)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tefball/
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The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041
Michael Arias: Hey, Michael. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning?
Michael Lowe: I'd say you got to have a philosophy of what you're trying to do and stick with it. So it's kind of a vision of what you're trying to create. What you see that being and then just work really hard towards that I wouldn't look at it as a number.
Michael Arias: Don't say oh I gotta have, 000, you know, da da da, Because I don't think that will get you the happiness at that point, but I think having an idea of what you wanted to create, that's the outcome? Perfect.So have the idea first instead of the logistics or the money behind it.
Michael Lowe: Have the vision of what you want it to be. what you're trying to create, what you want it
Michael Arias: to be,
Michael Lowe: I think you got to have a vision and I don't think visions of money is necessarily going to get you there or be fulfilled when you get there.
Michael Arias: Is that something you feel like happened when you created Teff ball?
Michael Lowe: Kind of, I would say that it came out of like a problem because when you're restoring an implant. You have that cover screw in the abutment there, you got to cover it up before you restore with the crown and whether it was like cotton or Teflon tape or something of that nature is always, I found it really cumbersome to get in tricky to get in waste of your time.
And then that was one problem, but the biggest thing was like the issue of it being like stinky, full of bacteria, retained moisture, just didn't make any sense that that was like a standard of care. and there was no reason for it. It was just the way it is. No one ever gave me a good reason why we did that, because it was like such a, the weakest link the whole process of restoring and implant dentistry because you have it's so sterile coming with the packages for the implant and then when you're placing it you got to make sure everything's clean and going all the way down the line and then this is it at the end And then you have this piece of garbage you're putting inside that you took off the shelf at a hardware store. It's like,it didn't make any sense. maybe the first time I saw it in schools like, this is like allowed, everything else was so controlled, I couldn't just go grab anything I wanted and use it, a store.
But this was the one thing. that came out of the idea based off of just wanting to do something new. Better for my patients. So I guess took me a while to come up with the idea, but I had something in my head that I, I got to do better. So The vision process just took a long time to formulate years after I graduated, but same idea.
Michael Arias: Yeah. Man, it must have really Really bothered you so given your background in likedental implants have you noticed any changes in post procedural healing or patient satisfaction related to its use of TIPL?
Michael Lowe: they don't No, beyond just, does it feel good kind of scenario?
Right. But what they always do know is if you ever have to take, say, tighten screw or replace it or any reason need to get in there later, they will always make comments like, well, that smelled bad, that is a very common thing I've heard through the years. So I would say that would be the one thing I've noticed is now I don't get that comment because this you know, it's anti microbial. It doesn't absorb moisture, so you don't have that same problem. if you took out any of those other materials before, it's like a nice black thing, but now it retains its original color because it doesn't absorb all that bacteria.
is the only thing in the world right now I know of you can place in there that's anti microbial.
Resistant to bacteria.
Michael Arias: Yeah. So this is an interesting vision that you had, man, because like felt like from the beginning it was like, ah, this is the only thing we can go out and buy. when was the turning point in your mind where you decided I need to start making this happen because I don't see it anywhere else?
Michael Lowe: Yeah. Yeah.I graduated and this is my 15th year now. five years after I graduated, I think it was when I came up with the first need to do this. I have an idea about it. Then I came up with like a very basic, idea of the shape and everything, but it wasn't until another, I would say two years later, I had the finalized shape, to go in there.
Cause it needed to be something that would be able to put it in really quick and easy. And then also, be snug. And so you don't get composite or filling material flowing around it, contaminating that screw. and then also fast forward years after that, you have to go through prototypes.
And get models made. Like, okay, does it work? Does it work? Okay. I like this. even simple things along the way, like the color, I used to have it clear 'cause I'm thinking everybody wants this clear in my head. But then after I test a few times, the remark was it needs to be like white, a solid white color.
I'm like, okay. So that would be a change. why white? I think 'cause from an aesthetic, people like that color, so say. If you use a zirconia it would help with that color. I think I made it black at one point too before I did that So I think white because it's clean and because of the aesthetic.
Michael Arias: Ah, okay. That's interesting. So then Were there any other materials considered? And how does this particular plastic enhance the durability and biocompatibility of the, product?
Michael Lowe: Initially, I thought I was going to make it like a silicon Teflon kind of material because I didn't know.
I thought that's just what it is. So when I initially had the prototypes done, that's what it was made out of. And as time moved on and I tried to do, like, say,make more than one every day. Cause if it was ever going to get to the point where I wanted people to use this, you can't make something that slow cause it costs too much money.
So I had to think of a way that I could first of all, make it in a larger volume, so you need like a micro molding center, which I discovered. So that took me two odd years to find someone who could make it because it's so tiny. It's very small because you know, the diameter of that. Implant is roughly around one and a half millimeters, right?
So it was through the manufacturing processes where I changed the material. And it was a good thing because I ended up with a better material because I ended up with this company that produces medical devices and they're like, this is what we use. It's called VersaFlex. So it's like a. Elastomer. I shouldn't be using the word plastic because implies, Oh yeah, like bottle, you know, or something plastic is a general term, but it's like the elastomer, I think is a better way to say it because it's biocompatible and it's something they would use and devices they would, Either be embedding or just in a hospital setting.
So that's where this VersaFlex material came in. Because you also need it, to be produced at a volume that could help try to get the cost down, which is what I'm trying to do. that's the hardest part trying to get the cost down.
Now, like you can make things. if you went out there tomorrow and tried to make a new widget, you'll find like, I can do this, butif the everything else people have been using is a fraction of the cost, it's really hard to get anybody to adopt to it. Even though it's we know it's better.
probably pay for itself because how quick it is to put in and take out, your chair time savings will, Pay for itself over the course of a year and all those minutes that build up. So whole idea is about just doing likebetter service for patients, but someone told me along the way like, well, people aren't really going to care enough about that when we cost more.
So you got to figure out another. people do this but I was just concerned with being better for the patient and glad it is because of that we can manufacture it And that's where I tried to get the cost down.
So still it's four dollars a unit,
Michael Arias: Yeah, okay. No, that's good. That's good. So then that's how it improves the efficiency in a practice, right? It's quicker. better for the patient to patient doesn't see that much But with somebody else who's doing this be like, oh, yeah This is way better
Michael Lowe: I don't think so.
I've said it to enough people now along the way that general consensus is it's better, I have had some testers that are blind and their name's not fixed, so I'll never know who it was and give me a feedback.
So like, consensus is, They like it. my only, competitor is price, but it is better, it's not more money at the end of the day if you factor in everything I just talked about.
Michael Arias: Yeah, okay. are there any misconceptions or resistance when introducing Teplot to other?
Michael Lowe: One is the cost thing, because that's a comment.
Why would I do that I can't argue that point because you're right. It's not the same price as a piece of plumber's tape,
you can't solve modern problems with old pricing.
But like I said, you can offset it with time savings. ultimately I think your end goal is going to be better anyways, because if it's a better material selected in there,you're better long term success.
first of all, there'll be less micro leakage on the implants, not absorb that moisture. So you're going to have less. Bone loss healthier pockets associated with implants, which will increase the long term success of them and alsoI think dentists understand the relationship between oral health and systemic health So if you're introducing something, you know into thatenvironment that could potentially contribute 2 wouldn't matter, ask any patient, hey listen here,if you pay more, I can give you a better outcome long term unless potential stomachhealth issues.
Yeah no, that's wonderful man. So then, any final words or pieces of advice that you'd like to give to our listeners?
I tie it all back to the same thing. So it's your philosophy, so whether it's your practice development, growth of that aspect or a continuation of this kind of like, what do you want to do? What's your vision? So if you. feel like you're doing the right thing, the right vision for you.
It'll turn out. And I just hope in regards to Teflon, I hope people in time give it a shot. try it out.
Michael Arias: Awesome, Michael. I appreciate your time. And if anyone has further questions, you can find them on the Dental Marketer Society Facebook group.
Or where can they reach out to directly? Where can they get more information on Tepal? Or are you also giving out like, if people are like, Hey, can I try it out first?
Michael Lowe: best way to do that would be if you go to tefball. com, there's a contact page there, so you can send any inquiries there also, social medias, Instagram, and that And then to try it out, So right now it's 99 if I give you discount code, say 15%.
that would the best way to try it out.
Michael Arias: Nice. So that's going to be tepawright. com and then when you're ready for checkout, use the code TDM15 or if you want, it's going to be in the show notes below as well. Alrighty, Mike, man. I appreciate your time. Thank you so much for being with me on this Monday morning episode.
Michael Lowe: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.