In First Impressions George Freedman, DDS, gives readers a brief summary of products that have recently been introduced to dentistry, based on his clinical experience.
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Rebilda Post System |
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Endodontic treatment successfully completed, the patient is ready to proceed with restoration. The first step is to create an anchor for the coronal restoration. The postendodontic build-up procedure poses certain dilemmas: options in posts, adhesives, and cements are compounded with issues of how these different materials work together. What stresses will form at the various interfaces and will the buildup last underneath the crown? Obviously, the dentist must have full confidence both in the components and the overall system. The Rebilda Post System from VOCO is a comprehensive kit that includes all the required components plus a number of application tools that make the entire treatment process easier. The system is based upon the Rebilda Post, a radiopaque, translucent, fiberglass post that is available in 3 common sizes: 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.0 mm. Each post has its corresponding size-matched color-coded reamer. The Futura Bond DC dual-cured, self-etch adhesi
ve and Rebilda DC core build-up material are also part of the system. The Rebilda DC core material has high transverse strength and cuts like dentin. Its high radiopacity provides positive identification on radiographs, but under all ceramic restorations, its dentin translucency offers excellent aesthetics. The Rebilda Post System is intuitive and easy to use. The Futura Bond DC is a self-etch adhesive with high bond strengths to both dentin and enamel. Its dual-cure chemistry assures that areas deep within the post space that are not directly accessible to the curing light will cure with time (35 seconds). The Rebilda Post System is a soup-to-nuts kit for restoring the coronal tooth structure to support the crown and guarantees that all the components are designed to be chemically and physically compatible.
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Nano Loupe Light |
  Dental loupe illumination is one of the hottest “new tools” for the profession. Loupe lights are very useful accessories that permit the practitioner to always work in an optimally illuminated field, and they provide greater independence from the chair or ceiling-mounted traditional lights that always seem to encounter head or hand interference. Aligned along the dentist’s path of vision, they are literally made for the precise procedures that abound in today’s dentistry. Today, they are comfortable and easy to use, as well. For the practitioner, the important parameters for headlights are ease of wear, low weight, constant long-term power, and no interruption of use when the battery wears down. The Nano Loupe Light from Dentlight is the smallest light that is currently available (overall), and weighs 6 g (loupes) and 87 g (battery pack). The Nano Loupe Light’s innovative heat-sink technology keeps temperatures comfortable, and the LED driver provides full illumination power during the battery life. The nonmemory solid aluminum rechargeable battery can be fully charged every time, and the system’s 2 batteries ensure that the practitioner never faces downtime without illumination. Intuitive controls include a seamless backlit membrane with 3 power level buttons. The  Nano Loupe Light is focused with minimum glare on the operative site and offers excellent practitioner visibility and improved patient comfort. The slide-on orange filter permits the dentist to work with composites, placing and sculpting as required, without the risk of premature polymerization. The Nano Loupe Light fits all major loupes and providing a very high intensity—45,000 lux at the highest level. The Nano Loupe Light is the ideal combination of size and power in clinical illumination.For more information, call (877) 570-9748 or visit the Web site located at dentlight.com. |
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NuCalm |
  What to do with the anxious/nervous patient? Many dentists’ advertisements lead with the phrase “we cater to cowards,” but how many of us actually want to deal with these difficult, time- and attention-consuming individuals? We have several traditional options for increasing their cooperation and comfort, including chemical sedative medications (other clinical issues) and hypnosis (few qualified practitioners). The ideal approach is a clinical system that involves a number of chemical and psychological initiatives to relax patients predictably and quickly to a point where they can be effectively treated in the practice. Solace’s NuCalm is a clinical relaxation system that calms the brain within minutes by re-ducing the alert beta brain wave function (where anxiety is manifested) to the alpha range (first stage of sleep). NuCalm creates deep patient relaxation without narcotics or controlled substances, without significant side effects, and requires no post-treatment recuperation or supervised time. The system utilizes the synergistic benefits of 4 sensory applications: (1) chewable tablets with nutrient-sourced building blocks that counteract adrenaline, creating a natural relaxation response; (2) cranial electrotherapy stimulation that facilitates the relaxation response (FDA-cleared and research-backed); (3) proprietary neuroaccoustic binaural beat software that paces brain waves into the alpha range (8 to 12 Hz per second); and (4) blackout glasses that eliminate anxiety-causing stimuli, allowing the relaxation to continue. NuCalm relaxes head, neck and jaw muscles, increasing access and visibility, reduces saliva for more effective isolation, and eliminates both the startle and gag responses. Most of all, it eliminates patient anxiety, allowing the patient to access required dental care. Working with relaxed patients reduces chair time significantly, leading to increased productivity (improved scheduling) and decreased stress on the practitioner and dental team. Everybody wins with NuCalm. For more information, call (877) 6NuCalm (668-2256) or visit the Web site nucalm.com. |
Dr. Freedman is a founder and past president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a cofounder of the Canadian Academy for Esthetic Dentistry, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Aesthetic Dentistry. He is a visiting professor at the Universita di Firenze, Florence, Italy. He is the special advisor of First Impressions and Buyers’ Guides for Dentistry Today. He is the author or coauthor of 11 textbooks, more than 600 dental articles, and numerous Webinars and CDs, and is a Team Member of REALITY. He lectures internationally on dental aesthetics, adhesion, desensitization, composites, impression materials, and porcelain veneers. A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Dr. Freedman maintains a private practice limited to aesthetic dentistry in Toronto. He can be reached at (905) 513-9191 or epdot@rogers.com.
