Improving your procedures from diagnosis to marketing

BisCem from Bisco, Inc. -From the market leader in adhesive and composite technology comes a new self-etching, self-adhesive, dual-cured resin luting cement. BisCem is exclusively formulated for luting crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and posts - both prefabricated metal and nonmetal/fiber posts, as well as cast posts. BisCem makes the cementing procedure faster and easier, because the need to etch, prime, and bond the prepared tooth surfaces has been eliminated. That’s right; just remove your temporary, then remove the excess cement, rinse and dry, and you’re ready to go. BisCem has a very low film thickness, ensuring restorations will be completely seated. It is available in two shades: Translucent and Opaque. Both shades are offered in an easy-to-use automix dual-syringe delivery system that gives you a consistent mixture of base and catalyst when using the disposable mixing tip. The dual-syringe delivery system offers convenience, allowing you to deliver the material directly to the restoration and the prep, while controlling the amount of material used, which amounts to saving money. To order or find out more about BisCem, call Bisco at (800) 247-3368 or visit www.bisco.com.

DIAGNOdent from KaVo -I was visiting with some KaVo representatives recently and I was amazed by a statistic they presented to me. Taking into consideration the many dental offices that use multiple DIAGNOdents, KaVo estimates that the DIAGNOdent technology is only used in about 14 percent of U.S. dental offices today. I cannot believe that so many dentists don’t have this great diagnostic aid in their practices. Cariologists tell us that we can find only 10 percent of decay with a mirror and explorer, and that X-rays only show us 45 percent of the decay. With X-rays, the caries must be through the enamel and a millimeter or two into the dentin before we see it on the radiograph. What about the other 45 percent? Without a DIAGNOdent to diagnose the other 45 percent, you are willing - by default - to let caries destroy a large amount of healthy tooth structure. The patient is the loser in this situation! What has happened to our preventative approach to dentistry? Have we lost our way? I have heard all of the arguments: “There is no insurance code for the procedure.” “Since when have we let insurance dictate how we practice dentistry?” etc.

Are you still placing sealants? I think it is malpractice if you seal a tooth without using a DIAGNOdent to determine if there is hidden decay. How about false positives? I have yet to open a tooth with a reading of 30 that did not have decay into the dentin. Used correctly, there are few, if any, false positives. Here is a big worry I hear: “What if my patient goes to another dentist for a second opinion?” I warn my patients that this is proven technology, and if another dentist examines their teeth without using a DIAGNOdent, then they are not receiving a complete examination. You owe it to your patients to get a DIAGNOdent. Train your hygienist to use it on every patient at least once a year. It only takes about four to five minutes to do an exam. Engage your patients and help them to understand what you are doing. I wonder how many endodontic procedures we could avoid with early detection of decay. How many extractions could be prevented? If you have two hygienists, you should have a DIAGNOdent in each room, and you should have one in your room for new-patient examinations. Don’t put it off another day; call your dealer, order a DIAGNOdent, and let your patients know you are doing your best for them! Visit www.kavousa.com or call (888) ASK-KAVO (275-5286).

Patient ActivatorSM from 1-800-DENTIST® -How often have you wished for a program that would help retain patients in your practice? Would you and your team like to be able to communicate and motivate existing patients into treatment? Then here is the good news: 1-800-DENTIST has launched Patient Activator, an internal marketing program that will do all of that and more. This program is designed to retain and reactivate your current patient base by using a variety of messaging tools to educate patients about the importance of your dental services. Through quarterly newsletters, bi-annual e-cards, and unique educational recall cards, each patient receives a diverse catalogue of communications from his or her dentist’s practice. One of the primary ways we miss out on production is because of the old “out of sight, out of mind” problem. Many times our patients simply forget about the treatment options we have outlined for them. Patient Activator was developed to solve exactly that problem by consistently reminding and educating your patients about what your office has to offer. Patient Activator also includes a quarterly address verification and patient-database analysis for your practice. This verification process helps by finding errors, updating addresses of patients who have moved, and providing key statistics about the accuracy of a patient list. As a program bonus, comprehensive patient intake forms are included to help your practice get to know your patients so you can anticipate their needs. Each communication tool can be customized with your practice photos, contact information, logo, and colors. Patient Activator provides professional and consistent patient communications that dental practices just don’t have time to create and manage for themselves. For more information, visit www.PatientActivator.com or call (800) 518-6675.

The Volume Mixer from Kerr Corporation -Sometimes my clinical assistants really struggle with squeezing impression materials into trays with the traditional guns and cartridges that are so popular today. Kerr Dental just stepped up to make three of their impression materials much easier to dispense. The Volume Mixer is the fastest, easiest-to-use automated mixing system available. It has a precision-engineered hydraulic system that delivers a reliable, consistent mix each and every time, saving the clinical assistant’s hand and arm muscles. The Volume Mixer has been designed to work with Kerr products like AlgiNot and StandOut, which are now available in volume delivery mode. In addition, Kerr Dental has added Take 1 tray material and StandOut medium-viscosity material to the list of Volume-delivered products. The Volume Mixer now delivers all of Kerr’s best impression materials in a flash, which saves time, mess, and extra effort. Visit the Kerr Web site at www.kerrdental.com, contact your Kerr rep, or call (800) KERR-123.

New Piranha® and Piranha 2X™ Single-Patient-Use Diamonds from SS White® -For years, I have been an advocate of disposable diamonds. I want my patients to have a sharp, fast-cutting diamond in the handpiece every time I cut on their teeth. I do not want my clinical assistants to spend their valuable time cleaning and sterilizing diamonds. That is simply a huge waste of time! Now my assistants are happily throwing away diamonds after each patient. When I first started using disposable diamonds, the sizes and grits were limited. Now, SS White has introduced the Piranha single-patient-use diamonds with an expanded line - more than 500 shapes, sizes, and grits. These fast-cutting diamonds come in a self-dispensing carton containing 25 individual packages. Each Piranha diamond bur is color-coded with the SSW logo for easy recognition of the grit. SS White also has added a turbo diamond to the Piranha line. Piranha 2X boasts a patented double-helix-designed channel, which effectively flushes debris and reduces clogging. Piranha 2X cuts significantly cooler than the competitive diamonds in independent testing, which is important in the bulk reduction required for crown preps. Piranha 2X turbo diamonds are available in medium grit for a smooth finish, and come in a carton containing five individually packed diamonds. All of these diamonds make cutting teeth fast, easy, and fun - and even happier assistants! For further information, call SS White Burs Inc. at (800) 535-2877.

RelyX™ Fiber Post and RelyX™ Unicem from 3M ESPE -You’re probably thinking, “Just what I need, another post system.” Well, yes, it is another post - the RelyX Fiber Post - with elasticity that is similar to natural dentin, which provides a lower risk of root fracture than with rigid metal or ceramic posts. Additionally, fiber posts eliminate the risk of corrosion that can occur with metal posts, and they are radiopaque. But the real news here is the combination of the post with a completely unique cement-dispensing system for cementing the post. RelyX Unicem self-adhesive universal resin cement from 3M ESPE is strong, esthetic, and clinically proven in virtually all cementing indications. Now you can get that same reliable performance in the RelyX Fiber Post. It’s strong, easy to use, and helps ensure the stability of restorations - especially in teeth where significant loss of tooth material has occurred. Many doctors appreciate the improved esthetics of a fiber post, but they may have avoided them because of concerns about post strength and the difficult cementation protocols required when using multi-step resin cements. With RelyX Unicem cement, no etching, priming, or bonding to the tooth is required - and no priming or silanization of the post is needed. You save steps and time. The RelyX Unicem Aplicap™ Elongation Tip from 3M ESPE makes it faster, easier, and more reliable. This special tip is designed to reach into the root canal, so you can apply cement into the canal from bottom to top by placing the tip all the way into the canal before dispensing cement. This reduces the chance of air pockets and voids, which can compromise bond strength. The tip makes the entire procedure faster, easier, and more reliable. Visit www.3MESPE.com/relyxfiberpost or call the Customer Care Center at (800) 634-2249 for more information.