The acronym EDC stands for “everyday carry”—the stuff you carry on you every day such as your phone, wallet, ChapStick, and car keys. One of my favorite EDC items is my AirPods. Having a set of wireless, discreet bluetooth headphones on me at all times is great! Since I always have them with me, I will pop them in when I am running errands—walking around the grocery store or waiting in line at the post office. I never did this in the days before AirPods, though. The old corded headphones were never part of my EDC. They worked fine, but AirPods are a massive upgrade!
And that’s how I feel about Garrison’s new matrix system, the Strata-G. It is a massive upgrade!
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Sectional matrix systems are an absolute must when restoring class II lesions with resin composite. We need the separation force of the ring, in addition to a good seal and conforming of the matrix to the tooth. Strata-G upgrades all these to even better than they were in their previous systems.
The Strata-G rings come in three different sizes. The blue ring is for shorter teeth such as second molars or pediatric teeth. The orange ring is for longer teeth. The green ring is for wider preparations, typically where we have broken through the buccal or lingual line angle. These new Strata-G rings are made with Nitinol drawn wire. This molecularly aligned nickel titanium is strong and resilient, providing maximal tooth separation, while holding its tension longer.
The part of the Strata-G ring that engages the tooth is made of durable PEEK plastic and bonded soft silicon. This silicon has a “marginal ridge assist” built in to help you form ideal anatomy on your restorations. One area I always struggle with is the mesial of a first premolar. Most rings will not hold on to the distal of the canine. The blue Strata-G ring is designed to grip that well, removing the frustration from restoring these lesions.
The Strata-G kit comes with its own updated .0016” bands. They’re very similar to the Garrison 3D XR Fusion bands, but they also have built-in refined marginal ridge anatomy to help achieve that nice anatomic roll in this area. The Strata-G wedges have been upgraded as well with a new smooth tunnel design and rounded edges. This prevents trauma to the papilla and minimizes bleeding.
The new Strata-G system helps produce a 270-degree seal around your class II preparation. This will facilitate stress-free restorations that have great interproximal contact and anatomy. This kit provides everything you need to take your direct interproximal restorations to the next level.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the July 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
