February 2026 I Have It—You Need It!

Voco’s GrandioSO 4U

GrandioSO 4U is an excellent nanohybrid composite designed for both anterior and posterior restorations. A major feature is that it is less sticky than most packable composites, making it easy to sculpt. Resin is sticky by virtue of the chemical nature of resins, but GrandioSO 4U is less sticky than most due to reduced resin content (approximately greater than 50% less than traditional composites). This amount of reduced resin and the fact that it is approximately 91% filled by weight makes it highly resistant to wear and highly polishable. You can place this to a depth of 4 mm and photocure in only 10 seconds. GrandioSO is perhaps the most radiopaque of all the resins I know rated at 900 alumina.

Recognizing that a tooth is not just a single shade, GrandioSO 4U has a unique “cluster” shading system that utilizes just seven shades (A1, A2, A3, A3.5, A4, Bleach, and Opaque) to cover all 16 Vita shades. Additionally, they use a proprietary Visual Transformation Technology (VTT) that changes the composite from translucent to opaque when photocured to enable maximum esthetic results. Indications include all cavity classifications in adults and children; splinting of loosened teeth; core buildups for direct resin veneers to correct discoloration and reshape natural or damaged teeth; and composite inlays.

GrandioSO 4U has clear and concise pictorial directions. Perhaps GrandioSO 4U should be renamed SOGrand 4U!

Abrasive Technology’s Prodia diamond burs

We have certainly come a long way from the days of belt-driven drills and air turbines. Today’s students are learning to prepare teeth for restorative and crown-and-bridge procedures using electric motor handpieces that are faster, easier, and better since they require less force and are quieter. Regardless of air-driven or electric handpieces, you must have a bur that also provides maximum efficiency and speed.

Abrasive Technology (the folks who gave us the Two-Striper Diamond) have introduced a revolutionary new high-speed diamond line, Prodia Sport, that yields optimal performance with less vibration, skip, and chatter, resulting in a faster and more precise cut that benefits the practitioner and is more comfortable for the patient. They accomplish this with a design that has all the diamond chips at the same height when affixed to the shaft of the bur. This allows for a more uniform cut and preserves more tooth structure. The company offers a wide variety of shapes and lengths in sterile packaging to accommodate every application and need.

And when it comes to cutting zirconia, they have created a line of burs in the Prodia Z-series. Their ZXtreme ZX cutters are available in multiple configurations and sizes for efficiently cutting off crowns or achieving endo access through crowns, with other sizes and grits suitable for adjusting and finishing zirconia.

These burs will save you time and reduce your stress and fatigue in the most difficult situations. They are well worth a try.

Max Crown Spreader by ArtCraft Dental

There’s no such thing as a “permanent crown” and sooner or later, for one reason or another, it will need to be removed and replaced. While there have been many systems promoted to remove a crown, I have found this instrument, as well as two burs, to be invaluable in facilitating the crown removal in the least traumatic fashion. The Max Crown Spreader is used in conjunction with ArtCraft’s Metal Buster Bur for all--metal and ceramo-metal crowns, and for zirconia burs there is ArtCraft’s Zirconia Buster Bur. My colleague, Dr. Michael Zampieri, who has tested this with me, has called this instrument the “Swiss Army Knife for removing crowns.”

The multidirectional tip of the instrument allows you to approach from any direction and easily engages into the grooves made by the aforementioned burs. After the slots are created in the crown, you can engage the wedge-shape side into the buccal or lingual slot. Once engaged, simply move up occlusally and down apically to flare the crown. The instrument is ergonomic, lightweight, and has an extra-long handle and stem that allows for easy access to posterior areas.

The Max Crown Spreader makes wedging and torquing quite easy for both male and female practitioners, and in most cases the crown can be removed in less than a minute. As with many of the ArtCraft offerings, kudos go to Dr. David Fyffe who designed this instrument and has once again provided a viable solution for a common problem.

Editor's note: This article appeared in the February 2026 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.