Ortholab is the specialist for orthodontic appliances – both at home and abroad

A new look for your teeth

Every sportsman carefully selects his equipment and pays attention to the right kind of clothing. But often he does not spare a minute to think about the right body protection which is vital in many sports. Boxing, karate or even hockey and water polo are sports where the protection of body parts such as teeth makes all the difference. Here, Ortholab BV from Doorn supplies customised sport gumshields worldwide to offer maximum safety. The orthodontic laboratory celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and primarily it focuses on the manufacture of orthodontic appliances for the regulation of the teeth. In fact, the company has developed into the largest laboratory of its kind in the Netherlands. Moreover, it is present at home and in the globalmarket.

Perfect teeth are no longer a dream as in the past decades orthodontic devices have been developed that promise long-termsuccess. They are easy to use and anticipate the client’s current and future requirements. “We are active in a wonderful sector. Teeth which are not beautiful by nature can be corrected so that in the long run the result is astonishing – and beautiful,” stresses Sales Representative Wim Spierings who is also responsible for Ortholab’s quality management.

A forerunner in its market

The focus of Ortholab’s activities is on the manufacture of functional orthodontic appliances which provide rapid correction of the teeth. “Ortholab was the first in the market to produce orthodontic appliances when its owner Ben Seyger founded the enterprise back in 1967,” stresses Mr. Spierings. “At that time, orthodontics was still in its early years. Since that time, the company has experienced exceptional growth and today it employs a workforce of 52 people, generating a turnover of 4.5 million EUR per year. The prospects for future growth are good. “We anticipate current trends and strive to introduce new product developments in our portfolio,” points out Mr. Spierings.

Appliances for every age group

Orthodontic devices can be used by ten-year-old children as well as by senior clients older than 60 years. “Technical development has advanced and now corrections of the teeth are still possible at a more advanced age,” explains Mr. Spierings. Among its specialities are functional removable braces which can be used in combination with fixed appliances. The segment of sport gum shields has been growing constantly. “Finally, clients have become aware of the necessity to wear them. For water polo, for instance, we provide customised shields in bright colours which can even be detected in swimming pools,” adds Mr. Spierings.

Teeth in 3-D

A new trend in orthodontics is a digital model that saves both space and time. “Digital 3-D scans supply the same results as traditional plaster models,” says Mr. Spierings and predicts that in the coming years they will gradually replace plaster models. “We are going to stay ahead in this development. We provide extensive internal training for our staff.” Ortholab is well prepared to conquer new developments in orthodontics.