When Material Choices Pay Off: A Closer Look At The DBX6

When fabricating an orthotic, flexibility and convenience are essential. You want the ability to start over if you make any mistakes and you need options as far as the styles of material. Another must is an orthotic that you can make quickly and easily, and one that you can use in a variety of shoes. The features of the DBX6® enhance the convenience of fabricating orthotics. At just 1.5 mm thick, the device offers cross-shoe flexibility and facilitates effective shoe compliance, according to the manufacturer Northwest Podiatric Laboratory. At 1.2 ounces, the DBX6 is the lightest material available to fabricate orthotics, according to the company. It adds that the device’s pre-shaped glass, graphite and neutral shell cut facilitate easy molding. This combination of integrated materials, shape and construction makes for key biomechanical advantages in the versatile device, according to Northwest Podiatric Laboratory. The company says the DBX6 vastly improves the functionality of the foot as it assists patients with resupination and decelerates pronation through the gait cycle. Benjamin Pessah, DPM, has used the DBX6 for several months and has shifted all his orthotic work to it. "Everybody I make them for now loves it," he says. How The Device Offers Increased Flexibility And Easier Finishing The DBX6 takes advantage of the patented technology of Elastic Memory. It captures morphology of the foot when the vacuum cast molding method is used. DBX6 has four patents that govern its laminations and processes. These processes have established the product’s standards for shape and design. This technology provides a nice safeguard option according to the company. If you make a mistake when fabricating the orthotic, you can reheat the shell according to the specified guidelines and it will return to its neutral beginning state. Dr. Pessah, who practices at several offices in California, says one advantage of the DBX6 is he does not have to trim the device, but merely heats it up. You can order the DBX6 in rough or finished styles. Since the rough cut has unfinished edges and an unfinished anterior distal tip cut, you can readily customize it and set it to a specific width, according to the company. In contrast, the finish cut is prepped for gluing with finished edges and a finished anterior distal tip cut with radius beveling. The cut is set for a generic C width. Finishing is much easier with the DBX6, notes Dr. Pessah. He adds the device is "very practical" and lightweight, and he has no worry about how it fits. Dr. Pessah cites the disadvantage of the fine powder being an irritant and necessitating gloves. Final Notes The DBX6 also has two different flexes and is flexible enough for use in a wide range of shoes. You can heat the device and vacuum press it against the positive cast or manually contour it according to the company guidelines.