IN-HOUSE LABORATORY Cypress & Katy, TX
Document ID: SOP-LAB-020
Version 1.0 | Effective 09/10/2026

Nightguard Fabrication

SprintRay NightGuard Flex 2 & Firm 2 — Lab Manufacturing Procedure

Owner	Lab Technician (process owner)
Applies to	Smile Avenue Family Dentistry in-house lab
Start	Case received in Medit Lab with scan QC
End	Nightguard bagged and logged in SEAZONA for outbound delivery
Related	Station Job Aid SOP-LAB-020-JA

1. Purpose

This procedure standardizes in-house manufacturing of SprintRay nightguards / occlusal guards (NightGuard Flex 2 or NightGuard Firm 2) so every case meets the same quality, safety, and traceability standard before leaving the lab.

2. Scope

In scope: Medit Lab intake → scan QC → 3Shape Automate design → RayWare / Pro 2 print → ProWash S → NanoCure → finish & polish → lab clean → bag & SEAZONA outbound log.
Out of scope: Chairside scanning technique; clinical try-in, seat, and adjust (including warm-water soften try-in); patient delivery; chairside chemical disinfection; RPD / denture workflows (SOP-LAB-030); soft thermoplastic vac-form guards; non-SprintRay printers; legacy NightGuard Firm on the Pro 2 path.

3. Roles

Role	Responsibility
Clinical Assistant / Office	Sends case via Medit Lab; receives bagged nightguard from lab
Lab Technician	Scan QC; import to 3Shape Automate; export STL; approve design; manufacture; finish; bag; SEAZONA log
Trainer / Lead Lab Technician	Competency observation and sign-off
Doctor	Clinical indication, Firm vs Flex Rx, try-in, and remake authorization (outside manufacturing steps)

4. Practice Configuration

#	Item	Smile Avenue setting
1	Printer	Pro 2 only for this path
2	Cure unit	NanoCure — select exact resin profile printed (NightGuard Flex 2 or NightGuard Firm 2)
3	Case intake	Medit Lab
4	Design	3Shape Automate (3Shape Automate designs; Lab Technician imports, exports STL, and approves)
5	Wash	ProWash S — IPA ≥ 91% — standard preprogrammed cycle
6	NightGuard Flex 2 shades	Simply Clear and Ocean Blue — select per prescription
7	NightGuard Firm 2	Per prescription
8	Avoid	Legacy NightGuard Firm on Pro 2 (not IFU-validated for Pro 2 / NanoCure)
9	Lab clean before bag	Soap, toothbrush, and warm water (and/or steamer), then dry. Cleaning — not chemical disinfection.
10	Design approval before print	Lab Technician
11	Case log	SEAZONA
12	Design QC thickness	≥ 1.0 mm (IFU / workflow)

5. Safety

Treat uncured NightGuard Flex 2 and Firm 2 as sensitizers. Work in a well-ventilated area.
Wear nitrile gloves, protective eyewear, lab coat or gown, and face protection when handling uncured resin, IPA, or grinding/polishing.
Do not place incompletely cured resin in the mouth. Do not bag an under-cured appliance.
Skin contact: wash with soap and water. Persistent irritation: stop work and follow the SDS.
Do not substitute non-validated printers, washers, cure units, or resins for this path.
Cure liquid waste resin fully before disposal. Follow hazardous-waste rules until cured.
Do not use expired resin.

6. Materials & Equipment

Resins

Resin	Shades / notes	Prefer when
SprintRay NightGuard Flex 2	Simply Clear, Ocean Blue — select per Rx	Soft / flex feel; Pro 2 + NanoCure
SprintRay NightGuard Firm 2	Per Rx	Harder occlusal guard; Pro 2 + NanoCure
Legacy NightGuard Firm	—	Do not use on Smile Avenue Pro 2 / NanoCure path

Also: IPA ≥ 91%.

Contraindications (all NightGuard resins): known allergy to ingredients; intraoral contact with uncured resin; any use outside indications (mouthguards / nightguards).

Equipment stack

Step	System
Intake	Medit Lab
Design	3Shape Automate
Nest / print	RayWare → Pro 2
Wash	ProWash S
Cure	NanoCure — exact NightGuard Flex 2 or Firm 2 profile
Case log	SEAZONA

Design QC targets (review 3Shape Automate design)

Area	Minimum
Appliance thickness	≥ 1.0 mm

Confirm coverage and arch match the prescription; intaglio free of critical voids; correct resin family (Flex 2 vs Firm 2) and Flex 2 shade if applicable.

Polish kit (SprintRay Master Workflow Guide — Night Guards)

Step	Tools / media
Smooth supports	Lab handpiece; abrasive wheel or carbide bur (low RPM ~10–12k); Scotch-Brite / Fuzzies as needed
Pre-polish	Dental lathe; muslin wheel; pumice (keep wheel damp; pumice flowable)
Polish	Fresh muslin; Tripoli — firm pressure, then light pass
High shine	Fresh muslin; Hatho beige (or equivalent)
Optional high gloss	Cotton buff; Hatho pink (optional)
Cleanup	Steamer and/or soap + toothbrush + warm water; dry

Technique: Keep wheels damp. Do not let wheels dry out — heat can damage the appliance.

7. Process Controls

Gate	Do not proceed if	Proceed when
Intake	Case missing or files unreadable in Medit Lab	Case open with matching ID / Rx
Scan QC	Holes, missing bite, inadequate anatomy	Scans usable for design
Printer	Queued to any printer other than Pro 2	Pro 2 only
Design	Not Lab Technician–approved; thickness < 1.0 mm	QC-A pass
Resin	Expired, wrong family, or legacy Firm on Pro 2	In-date Flex 2 or Firm 2 per Rx; shaken 1 minute
Wash	IPA < 91%	ProWash S standard preprogrammed cycle
Pre-cure	Part wet	Fully dry
Cure	Wrong profile / custom times invented	NanoCure exact Flex 2 or Firm 2 profile complete
Outbound	Failed QC-E; not bagged; not logged	Bagged + SEAZONA outbound ready

8. Procedure

A. Intake & scan QC

Open the case in Medit Lab.

Verify patient/case ID, arch, and prescription notes (Flex 2 vs Firm 2, Flex 2 shade if applicable, coverage, due date).

Perform scan QC: required arches captured; bite usable; surrounding tissue adequate; no critical holes or wrong-patient files.

QC-SCAN: Pass → continue. Fail → stop manufacturing; request rescan or clarified Rx from the office. Do not design on failing scans.

B. Design (3Shape Automate)

Import accepted scans into 3Shape Automate.

3Shape Automate designs the nightguard per prescription (arch, coverage, thickness, Flex 2 vs Firm 2).

Export print-ready STL.

Lab Technician approves the design for print.
QC-A: Coverage matches Rx; thickness ≥ 1.0 mm; intaglio free of critical voids; correct resin family / shade; STL labeled.
If QC-A fails — return to 3Shape Automate for redesign; do not nest. Do not redesign casually in-house unless the practice directs otherwise.

C. Nest (RayWare)

Import approved STL into RayWare.

Select job type Occlusal Guard and printer Pro 2.

Select the exact material: NightGuard Flex 2 (Simply Clear or Ocean Blue) or NightGuard Firm 2 per Rx.

Confirm 100 µm; orientation: intaglio facing away from the platform; ~25°; anterior closer to the platform; default supports.

Nest orientation — intaglio away from platform, ~25° with supports

Send to the Pro 2 queue. Do not aim this path at any printer other than Pro 2.

D. Print

Confirm resin is not expired and matches the approved design (Flex 2 shade or Firm 2).

Shake the resin bottle thoroughly for 1 minute. Pour to at least the minimum fill line. Record lot in SEAZONA. Stir/filter tank resin if already poured.

Assign the correct material (and shade if Flex 2) on the touchscreen.

Confirm the build platform is clean and free of debris or cured resin.

Start print from the queue. Monitor on the printer or SprintRay Cloud.

When complete, wait for the safety lid lock to disengage. Remove the platform carefully.

QC-B: Fully formed; no delamination or major voids; inspect before wash. Fail → remake.

E. Wash & dry

Transfer the build platform to ProWash S.

Transfer build platform into SprintRay wash device

Run the standard preprogrammed wash cycle with IPA ≥ 91%.

Remove the nightguard from the platform. Fully dry with compressed air — especially fossae and intaglio. Residual IPA interferes with final cure.
QC-C: Clean and fully dry. Do not cure wet parts.

Remove nightguard from build platform after wash

F. Post-cure

Place the dry nightguard in NanoCure.

Place nightguard in SprintRay curing device

Select the exact resin profile printed (NightGuard Flex 2 or NightGuard Firm 2) and follow on-screen prompts. Do not invent custom cure times.

After full cure, remove supports with flush cutters or appropriate tools. Cut close to the appliance. Small support nubs may remain for finishing.
QC-D: Fully cured (no tack); supports removed without tearing margins. Fail → remake or salvage per remake criteria.

G. Finish, clean, bag (end of procedure)

Smooth remaining support contact points with an abrasive wheel or carbide bur at low RPM (~10–12k). Scotch-Brite / Fuzzies as needed.

Smooth support nubs with abrasive wheel (low RPM)

Polish per Master Workflow Night Guards: pre-polish pumice + muslin → Tripoli + muslin → high-shine Hatho beige (or equivalent) + muslin. Keep wheels damp. Optional: Hatho pink + cotton buff for high gloss.

Clean with soap, toothbrush, and warm water (and/or steamer); dry. This is lab cleaning — not chemical disinfection.

Label and bag the nightguard for outbound delivery from the in-house lab.

Complete the SEAZONA case log; mark status bagged / ready for outbound.
QC-E: Finish OK; cleaned; bagged; labeled; SEAZONA complete. Do not release if QC-E fails.

End of SOP-LAB-020. Office receipt, chairside chemical disinfection, warm-water soften try-in, seat/adjust, and patient delivery are handled under clinical protocols — not this manufacturing procedure.

9. Case Log (SEAZONA)

Field	Entry
Date
Patient / case ID
Medit Lab reference
Arch	☐ Max ☐ Mand ☐ Both
Scan QC	☐ Pass ☐ Fail → returned
Designed by (3Shape Automate)
Design approved by (Lab Technician)
Resin (Flex 2 / Firm 2) + shade + lot
Printer	Pro 2 ☐
ProWash S cycle OK	☐ Yes
NanoCure profile	NightGuard Flex 2 ☐ / Firm 2 ☐
Lab Technician initials
QC-SCAN + A–E pass	☐ Yes
Remake?	☐ No ☐ Yes — reason: ________
Bagged for outbound	☐ Yes — time ________

No SEAZONA bagged status = not released from the lab.

10. Quality Checkpoints

ID	When	Pass	Fail action
QC-SCAN	After Medit Lab intake	Scans usable	Return to office
QC-A	Pre-print	Approved design + ≥ 1.0 mm	Return to 3Shape Automate
QC-B	Post-print	Complete geometry	Remake print
QC-C	Post-wash	Clean + dry	Re-wash/dry
QC-D	Post-cure	Fully cured; supports clean	Remake / salvage
QC-E	Before outbound	Finish + clean + bag + SEAZONA	Hold release

11. Remake Criteria

Finding	Action
Failed scan QC	Do not manufacture — request new scans
Incomplete print / delamination / major voids	Remake print
Printed on non–Pro 2	Remake on Pro 2
Legacy Firm used on Pro 2 path	Stop; remake with Firm 2 (or Flex 2 per Rx) on validated path
Wet / under-cured / wrong cure profile	Hold outbound; correct or remake
Torn margins after supports	Remake
Light support nubs only	Salvage — finish and re-check QC-E
Unsure	Stop and escalate to Doctor / lab lead

12. Competency

A Lab Technician may run this procedure unsupervised after:

Requirement	Sign-off
Read SOP-LAB-020 and Job Aid SOP-LAB-020-JA	Tech __________ Date ______
Demonstrates Medit Lab intake, scan QC, 3Shape Automate import/export/approve, and process controls	Trainer __________ Date ______
Completes 3 observed cases to bagged outbound with SEAZONA log	1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______
Trainer attests ready	Trainer __________ Date ______
Lab lead authorizes unsupervised production	__________ Date ______

13. Troubleshooting & Escalation

Problem	Action
Bad scans in Medit Lab	QC-SCAN fail → return to office
Print failure	Remake; filter resin; verify material assignment on Pro 2
Soft / tacky after cure	Confirm dry part and exact Flex 2 / Firm 2 NanoCure profile; remake if needed
Tight / loose fit noted after lab QC	Escalate to Doctor; remake from approved design if authorized
Allergy or wrong indication noted	Stop — Doctor; do not manufacture
Legacy Firm requested on Pro 2	Stop; switch to Firm 2 or escalate

Escalate to Doctor / lab lead: unclear Flex vs Firm Rx; allergy; chronic remakes; IFU deviation requests.
Escalate to office (Medit Lab / SEAZONA): failed scan QC; missing prescription.
SprintRay Support: 1-800-914-8004 — missing NanoCure NightGuard Flex 2 / Firm 2 profile; repeated Pro 2 failures.

14. References

SprintRay NightGuard Flex 2 IFU-023_4 (effective 10/28/2025)
SprintRay NightGuard Firm 2 IFU-024_4 (effective 06/25/2024)
SprintRay Master Workflow Guide — Night Guards (effective 2/22/2024)