I have it—you need it! Spandex Advanced, BeautiBond Xtreme, Riva Cem Automix
Spandex Advanced
Visibility is key in almost every dental procedure, and none more so than for photo documentation of the dentition and/or procedure required or being performed. The old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true in particular when trying to explain and educate your patient on the reasons for a procedure. Furthermore, before and after photos of various cases are key to treatment acceptance. The Spandex Advanced intraoral auxiliary aid from Hager Worldwide has been designed to retract the lips and cheeks to offer increased visibility, whether the mouth is open or closed, and helps to control saliva and general moisture. As an added bonus, it provides photo contrasting of the surrounding lips and cheeks. A multitude of dental procedures can benefit from this device including, but not limited to, examination, cavity preparation and restorative procedures, hygiene procedures like scaling and root planing, digital impressions, cementation, and implant procedures. Spandex Advanced is latex free and can be steam autoclaved. It is available in two sizes—standard and large. This device is easy to insert, comfortable for the patient, and should be a valuable asset in any practice.
BeautiBond Xtreme
I applaud companies like Shofu that take a great product like BeautiBond and make it even better by introducing BeautiBond Xtreme. BeautiBond Xtreme features the -proprietary Quad-Adhesive Technology that provides a solution for bonding any direct or indirect restorations using any bonding technique with any dental material including zirconia. Delivery is via .01 mL unit doses (my preference), or a 5 mL bottle. BeautiBond Xtreme, with its minimal yet uniform 5 micron film thickness, provides an excellent seal with either wet or dry dentin and penetrates deep into the tubules to create strong resin tags, preventing microleakage and sensitivity. This low film thickness also helps to eliminate marginal stain, thereby allowing for highly esthetic outcomes. This HEMA-free universal bonding agent can be used in either a self-etch, total etch, or selective etch technique. Application time has been shortened, so once preferred etching is complete, you simply apply one thin layer and then gently air dry for three seconds until evaporated. This is followed by a five-second LED light cure. BeautiBond Xtreme is also well suited for indirect restorations. This is a great product that fits my mantra of faster, easier, and better for the patient and me.
Riva Cem Automix
SDI has just released a new ce-ment featuring “ionglass” tech-nology called Riva Cem Automix, which is self-curing, radiopaque, and of course, fluoride-releasing. This cement is indicated for metal and ceramic restorations and capitalizes on SDI’s proprietary ionglass technology that blends a crosslinking of polycarboxylic acid chains with a unique blend of varying size glass particles. It is this chemistry that provides a high bond strength and esthetically stable cement. In addition to the high bond strength to both enamel and dentin, Riva Cem Automix also has a high flexural strength that enables it to withstand masticatory function over a long period of time. The sustained fluoride release is beneficial in those instances where a patient’s oral hygiene may not be as good as we would like for any number of reasons. Removal of excess cement is easy, with its five-second tack cure feature, or you can simply wait until the self-cure phase is complete in about 1.5 minutes. The cement is BPA-free and comes in a light yellow shade. I like this easy-to-use, self-curing resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI) cement for both my porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) and zirconia restorations, and I applaud SDI for providing many more tips in the box than most manufacturers.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the June 2024 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
