Pearls for your practice

Joe Blaes, DDS

ADHESION, RETRACTION, AND POLISHING

ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL
from BISCO

ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL from BISCO is the culmination of more than 30 years of adhesive research. For years, we have sought the adhesive that would make bonding procedures faster, better, easier, and less expensive. This product is the perfect chemical formulation that achieves self-etch and total-etch adhesion using only one bottle. ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL can be used for all direct and indirect restorations. Use this bonding material anywhere. You can use this adhesive for resin bonding to all direct substrates and as a protective varnish for glass ionomer fillings. It contains the MDP monomers that enhance the adhesive. This allows bonding to zirconia, alumina, and metal indirect restorations. ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL is compatible with dual-cured and self-cured composite core buildups and resin cements. A hydrophobic formula that is resin friendly, it results in an improved durability of the bond by optimizing the seal. This adhesive readily flows into etched surfaces and has chemical and mechanical sealing following light curing. Because of a low film thickness, ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL spreads thin easily and does not affect cementation procedures, even when restorations have a tight fit. To sum up, ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL is a flexible product that can be used for self-cured and dual-cured resin composite and cement materials. It is compatible with all light-cured, self-cured, and dual-cured resin composites and cement materials for all direct and indirect procedures with just one bottle. No activator is required with this universal adhesive.

Pearl Bisco Allbond Universal Pearl Image

Order by calling (800) BIS-DENT (800-247-3368) or visit www.bisco.com for more information.

SureFil SDR flow Posterior Bulk Fill Flowable Base
from DENTSPLY Caulk

Here is an example of a company that listens to its customers. SureFil SDR flow was initially packaged in Compula Tips. Sometimes there was not enough material to get the job done so we had to open another Compula Tip. The folks at DENTSPLY Caulk heard from us, their customers, that this product would be better in a syringe system. So the company has launched a new syringe delivery system. In addition, SureFil SDR flow is now recommended for three new indications. It works well as a pit and fissure sealant. I have found that it also serves well for those conservative Class I restorations. It will fill in those little defects and undercuts in crown, inlay, and onlay preparations. In other words, it is a core buildup material. Incremental layering is a thing of the past with this material. SureFil SDR flow has a unique, self-leveling feature that allows it to adapt to the walls of the prep with minimum to no manipulation. Order from your dealer, or better yet, have your dealer representative arrange a hands-on lunch-and-learn session for you and your team with your DENTSPLY Caulk representative to use SureFil SDR flow.

Visitwww.surefilsdrflow.com or call (800) 532-2855 for more information.

Retraction Capsule
from 3M ESPE

I saw this product almost two years ago at a 3M ESPE thought leaders meeting. I thought it was great, and I have wanted to tell you about it ever since. If you have not tried chemical retraction instead of packing cord, now is a great time to do so because this product makes it easy. You will be amazed at the time and frustration that can be saved by using the Retraction Capsule with its small tip. When I prepare teeth, I use a shoulder prep that ends 0.1 to 0.2 mm below the tissue level. But sometimes the prep is deeper because of the removal of an existing restoration or decay. The 3M ESPE Retraction Capsule is a fast, convenient, and effective solution for gingival retraction. With its extra fine tip, it delivers a 15% aluminum chloride astringent paste directly into the sulcus. This pushes the gingival tissue away from the tooth and allows you to capture a detailed impression of the preparation margin. The soft tip is only 1 mm wide, and it is marked with a band at 3 mm like a perio probe. This keeps you oriented to the depth of the tip in the sulcus. Thanks to 3M ESPE’s planning, you will not need to stock another special dispenser since the capsule is designed to fit securely in most of the composite dispensers on the market today. The capsule geometry is designed for easy extrusion of the highly viscous paste, which should be extruded slowly and steadily into the sulcus. It is important to remove the astringent retraction paste with air-water spray and suction before taking the final impression. The contents of one unit-dose capsule are sufficient to treat up to three teeth. The capsules are for single use and must not be used on more than one patient. The Retraction Capsule will give you a clean, dry sulcus and robust dental hemostasis. The sulcus will be opened with a convenient and time-saving process that is 50% faster than cord. Using this product and technique is kinder to the tissue and more comfortable for patients compared to retraction cord. There is also a much lower risk of hemorrhage after removing the material. I hope you will make the tissue retraction process easier for everyone in your practice by using this new product.

Order from your dealer. For more information, visit www.3MESPE.com/retraction or contact the 3M ESPE Customer Care Center at (800) 634-2249.

ZR Flash PolishersTM and three ZR DiamondsTM (LD0707 kit)
from KOMET® USA

KOMET offers an ideal range of rotary instruments designed to cut, finish, and polish full-contour restorations that are fabricated of zirconium oxide, lithium disilicate, aluminum oxide, or pressed ceramics. The Polishers and Diamonds are conveniently arranged and secured in a stainless steel, sterilizable bur block. These instruments feature distinct polishing and cutting characteristics that specifically address the unique material properties of today’s generation of dental ceramics. To recontour, adjust, or finish a zirconia, lithium-disilicate, or other high-strength ceramic crown — or to gain endo access through or remove high-strength ceramic restorations — KOMET’s ZR Diamonds are each engineered with a permanently bonded, densely packed diamond layer to meet the challenges of these new materials, whether at chairside or in the lab. The coarse-grit diamonds provide an exceptional performance-to-service life ratio, and the medium-grit versions are suitable for a range of adjustment procedures. For seating adjustments, preparing endodontic access, or crown removal, these diamonds save chairtime and optimize the quality of all-ceramic restorations. The kit’s ZR Diamond selection includes a medium-grit egg-shaped diamond (ZR379 FG-014) for minor adjustments, and features blue and white color coding for easy identification. The coarse-grit diamond (ZR6274 FG-016) for adjustments to crown anatomy can be identified by green and white rings, while the 4ZR FG-014 crown-cutter diamond, which has a gold shank and a white ring, is for cutting or removing high-strength ceramic crowns. To meet the preliminary and final polishing requirements of high-strength ceramic materials at chairside, KOMET’s ZR Flash Polishers smooth, polish, and impart a high shine when applied to restorations fabricated of zirconia, lithium disilicate, aluminum oxide, and pressed ceramics. Incorporating interspersed diamonds for consistent, reliable performance and a long working life, the polishers produce outstanding results in just two steps. Each step can be easily identified by the color — blue for smoothing and prepolishing and light gray for high shine final polishing. A golden shank serves as a distinctive visual mark. The KOMET® LD0707 kit of precision-engineered and carefully constructed instruments maximizes the potential of full-contour all-ceramic restorations and minimizes seating challenges.