Omamori Denture launches Japan’s first denture bank

Japan: Omamori Denture, a dental laboratory based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, has launched Japan’s first “denture bank”. The service stores denture shape data for free on the cloud at affiliated stores nationwide, allowing for the creation of new dentures immediately using that data in case of damage or loss. 

Within a month of launching, the number of branches has increased from Hokkaido to Okinawa, reaching nine branches.

Emergency Dentures in Disasters

The initiative is the first of its kind in Japan and offers free storage fees while collaborating with other dental clinics for nationwide expansion. The reason for the initiative stems from the representative’s experience during the Great East Japan Earthquake, where many denture users lost their dentures due to damage or loss in evacuation centers. 

The initiative aims to provide dentures as soon as possible in times of disaster, ensuring that people do not suffer from the inconvenience of not being able to eat properly and avoid social interaction.

In 2020, approval was given for the use of 3D printers to make dentures, which significantly shortened the waiting period. By digitizing and storing data on the cloud, even if a dental clinic is affected by a disaster, dentures can be created at another clinic. 

Denture Data Available Nationwide

The service began offering free cloud storage of denture data in February 2021. However, about 60% of inquiries were from outside the prefecture, which led the company to collaborate with other dental clinics nationwide to expand the service’s reach.

To help people understand that their denture data is being stored securely and readily available when needed, the service was named a “denture bank”. Although there were concerns about the cost and whether people would use the service since it is not covered by insurance, the initiative received support from many dentists, and a manufacturer was found that could offer a special price. 

The denture bank provides a digital solution to solve chewing inconvenience and ensures that people have access to their denture data at any affiliated store nationwide, providing a fundamental solution in terms of durability and precision.

Click here to learn more about the denture bank.