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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Soothe |
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Tooth sensitivity is a big problem—just ask any of your patients. In fact, for a large part of the population, the most common and most uncomfortable dental problem that patients en-counter is tooth sensitivity from cold foods and drinks, inspired cold air in the winter, acidic fruits, sweets of all kinds, and particularly tooth whitening. Many patients think that it is a problem for which the profession has little to offer. However, the dental profession has actually developed a very extensive armamentarium to deal with this common problem; unfortunately there has been little communication of this to patients. SDI (North America) has introduced Soothe, a desensitizer targeted at those who are suffering from bleaching sensitivity. Soothe is a sustained release gel that contains 6% potassium nitrate and 0.1% fluoride gel, relieving bleaching sensitivity effectively. Bleaching sensitivity occurs because peroxide products unblock dentinal tubules and eliminate debris from in between enamel lattices. The resulting, unimpeded fluid movement in these structures can stimulate nerve receptors in the pulp, causing sensitivity. Most desensitizers are directed at blocking dentinal tubules only; an effective bleaching desensitizer must work on enamel as well. Potassium nitrate in excess of 5% is very effective at blocking fluid movement in all tooth structures. The effect is cumulative and will peak at 2 weeks after inception. Thus, for very sensitive individuals, it makes sense to place them on a Soothe regimen before the bleaching process is begun. Potassium nitrate has the additional, and very important, feature of not interfering with the bleaching process; it should be used before, during, and after. Eliminate calls from sensitive patients; simply Soothe their complaints away.|
SurgiCam Pro |
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Everything in dentistry is visual! The more we see, the more we know, and the better that we can perform. Vision is also important for our patients for comprehension, for participation, and for appreciation of our professional services. For more than the past 2 decades, film cameras, and then the succession of digital cameras, have become quite common in dental practices. Since we live and work in a video age, dentistry must keep up! SurgiTel has developed the SurgiCam Pro, the first digital surgical camera that captures DVD-quality video directly into a computer via a USB port without the need for conversion. It features advanced miniaturization, high-precision optical lenses, and an integrated sensor technology that provide high-quality video (with an amazing depth of field) and still images with an intuitive ease of use. Very light and comfortable, the SurgiCam Pro and its powerful coaxial light source (for target illumination) are mounted directly on to magnifying loupes. The camera sees what the dentist sees, only better. There is no need for an extra set of hands or complicated control and switching units. Patients can be taken for a real-time tour of their own mouth, with the entire video and observations recorded by the dentist in patient files as a consult record. It is also an excellent teaching tool; students can watch procedures as they are performed from beginning to end and ask questions or make comments. It is also an excellent communication tool for dentists and laboratory technicians (as well as consulting specialists) who can see, receive, and send far more information in a video than is possible in a photograph. SurgiCam Pro—the medical breakthrough that has arrived in dentistry.|
BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus |
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Flowable composite resins first appeared 2 decades ago. While intuitive and easy to use, they did have some drawbacks: they were highly elastic and thus did not have the mechanical strength to serve for large occlusal restorations, and they often tended to be too flowable, difficult to position specifically in the cavity preparation. Shofu Dental’s innovative BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus introduces a new category of restorative material: the “injectable” flowable composite resin. Based on Giomer chemistry, it is neither a conventional composite nor a flowable resin; it is a unique blend of these materials with the benefits of both. Its high-strength resin matrix is densely packed by fillers optimized by 67%. Due to its excellent physical properties, BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus is indicated for restoring both anterior and posterior teeth, and it is suitable for the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth. There are 2 viscosities available, a sculptable zero-flow (F00) and a low flow (F03), which can be used together in the resin cone technique. The highly elastic flowable is placed after the adhesive for stress relief. Then, the zero-flow is injected to form cusps and marginal ridges. It |
leaves a smooth surface and no dispensing “horn,” providing little technique sensitivity and a generous time advantage when compared to the layering technique. BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus has a higher “yield point” than earlier restoratives, allowing it to return to its original shape after loading (biting, chewing, grinding, etc) rather then suffering plastic deformation and fracture. Another major advancement is that the injectable resin material’s transparency does not change during the polymerization process. What y|
Venus Diamond Flow |
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Flowable composites are very easy to use and have consistently improved in wear characteristics since their introduction about 20 years ago. They have so many uses in dental restorative therapy that they can almost be considered the “duct tape” of the profession. The important limitations are that flowables should be used only where indicated to take advantage of their beneficial properties. Heraeus Kulzer has introduced Venus Diamond Flow, a flowable nanohybrid that can be used to create aesthetic, durable restorations. It has excellent handling properties and matches accurately to adjacent tooth structures. Venus Diamond Flow is indicated for sealing large fissures, small Class I’s, cervical lesions, splitting of mobile teeth, and as a lining under Class I and Class II restorations. It is also recommended for minimally invasive restorations that are not subject to masticatory forces and small repairs of both indirect and direct restorations. Venus Diamond Flow incorporates the excellent characteristics of Venus Diamond universal composites: easy handling, perfect color adaptation, and durability. It has a high flexural strength that, combined with its decreased shrinkage stresses, makes for long-lasting aesthetic restorations. Venus Diamond Flow is radiopaque for ready visibility in radiographs, particularly at marginal and subrestorative areas. (It is essential to be able to differentiate between a restorative material and incipient decay in these relatively inaccessible locations.) It is also highly thixotropic; when placed in a Class V cavity, it will not flow until an instrument guides it. Thus, it can be shaped and positioned prior to curing, reducing finishing and polishing time. Venus Diamond Flow combines durability with aesthetics in an easy-to-use family of composites.Dr. Freedman is a founder and past president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a co-founder 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 co-author 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.
