Two primary factors.

1. Less wear and tear on O-Rings. Just like cutting a steak with a metal knife vs. a plastic knife. Less wear, means the O-Rings will last much longer, preventing water contamination in the air channels, or leakage.

2. We designed our tip a bit differently than metal tips. The air enters our tip from the bottom, a direct feed from the air ducts of the syringe. Metal tips typically have the air receptacle on the side, so the air flows up and then enters the air channel from the side, losing some of the pressure. Our direct feed offers superior air pressure.

Simple. We'll use Safe-Tip EZ^® as an example. It has an inner core (like us) through which the water travels. All the air flows in a 360 degree round space between the inner and outer cores. By having 4 small air channels, the air is more concentrated and dispensed through each of the 4 channels, giving you a more focused spray through each channel. That equates to a more powerful air spray.

Metal tips cost money as well. Typically $5 to $7 each. There is a cost associated with the sterilization procedures as well, and that cost rises as you reduce other metal instruments in favor of disposables. Staff time, equipment costs, materials used in the process. Almost every office reports that metal tips get flushed down sink drains and thrown in the trash with other waste. If your new metal tip that has only been used twice is lost, that's an expensive disposable tip. Metal air water syringe tips become clogged with debris and lose their effectiveness. So, if you amortize all those costs over the average life of your metal tip, the cost difference for disposables is maybe a few pennies!

It's really quite simple. If you have 1,000 of the other guy's tips in your office, you will not make the switch until you use those up. And then we are -- as they say -- out of sight, out of mind -- and you will likely wind up re-ordering their tips again. So we are investing in you by giving you an exchange of tips right away, so you don't have to wait. Although this certainly has a cost to us up front, the much more important thing is that we'll have you as a satisfied customer for years. It's worth an investment that pays off as you be become a Natures Tip^TM convert!

Other than they are significantly prettier than any other dental air water syringe tips, and are "FUN" for your staff and patients -- no. Just want to brighten up your day!

If you use Sani-Tip^®, Seal-Tight, Pro-Tip^® or RisKontrol^®, air water syringe tips you would need an adapter. The adapter used for our tips are interchangeable with autoclavable tips. This would bring your syringe back to it's original format. If you are currently using a Non-US manufactured syringe, you can use our tips as well. We have conversion kits for syringes made around the world. Request a FREE conversion kit from our sample/adapter request page.

No. Our tip has a two-piece construction giving the stem more strength. Other tips are single-piece injection molded, making the stem very weak.

Natures Tip^TM has been on the market for 1 year. The tips themselves have been under quality and functionality testing for over 3 years.

If your equipment is in good operating order, we guarantee 100% air/water separation. Natures Tip^TM' O-Ring tip lock secures the tip into the syringe. The inner core seats perfectly into your syringe because it was designed to replace metal tips in standard dental syringes. In addition, Natures Tip^TM' translucent outer core allows you to see if water has leaked into the air chamber. However, 99% of all leakage issues are the result of worn O-Rings, improper installation of the tip, or from trying to insert the tip into a proprietary adapter.

Like most manufactured products, dental air water syringes work best when used as they were originally designed. After-market additions and alterations can often times void manufacturer warranties. When we developed Natures Tip^TM, we felt it was important to retain the integrity of the original manufacturer's syringe design. We also felt it was important to make an easy transition from metal tips, and to allow dentists the ability to switch back to a metal tip for certain procedures when they would be more comfortable using a sterilized tip. And, finally, we felt it would give us a competitive edge in the dental industry. Isn't it easier to test a product when you don't have to install a special adapter?

Rest Easy. Natures Tip^TM is made in the United States, using only hight quality compostable and renewable resources.

Natures Tip^TM is relatively new on the market but quickly getting picked up by many distributors. If you are unable to purchase Natures Tip^TM from your distributor, you can order direct from us either through our website or by calling 800.944.3939, international clients, please call 00 800 801 12345.

We wouldn't have it any other way! Please call us, or fill out the Sample Request form in the Switch section of our web site. We will send you a sample pack of tips. If you are currently using a disposable tip that required a proprietary adapter, we will send you an adapter that will allow you to use Natures Tip^TM and metal tips. Be sure to specify which type of syringe you are currently using. Our web site offers complete instructions on installing adapters. You can find that information in the Switch section or the Support section of the web site. Or always feel free to call our technical support staff.

The first is trying to use Natures Tip^TM in a proprietary adapter. Remember, Natures Tip^TM is designed to fit into a standard syringe -- the way it was designed by the manufacturer. Second is worn O-Rings. All O-Rings will wear out over time. O-Rings should be replaced at least once per year. Third is improper insertion of the Natures Tip^TM. If you currently use metal tips, it should be no problem, because Natures Tip^TM fit into your syringes just like metal tips do. However, if you are switching from a proprietary adapter, you have become accustomed to that style. Natures Tip^TM do not need to be twisted or bent when either inserting or removing from your syringe. And, finally, faulty syringes. This is typically the result of improper care of the syringe system, or the age of the syringe. Like anything else, syringes will wear out over time, but they should last years.