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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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Occlusal Sweeps (Hydraulic VPS Spreader) |
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When applying impression material to the prepared and adjacent teeth, it is of primary importance to ensure that all areas, including undercuts, are effectively covered. If the impression material does not closely adapt to all occlusal and proximal dental surfaces, bubbles and gaps will cause inaccuracies that compromise the accurate fit of the crown (or bridge). Even a small discrepancy can result in the practitioner spending uncomfortable sessions adjusting the crown (or bridge) to fit the patient’s prepared teeth. Danville Materials has introduced the Occlusal Sweeps positioning tube to accurately place impression materials where required. It fits onto the tip of automix impression material dispenser tips and helps to force the impression material into nooks and crannies around the preparation. The Occlusal Sweeps is split into 3 leaves: buccal, lingual, and trailing occlusal. This splays the tip as it passes over the teeth, spreading the impression material more effectively. First seal the distal of the tray with DAMit! membrane (Danville Materials) to prevent the material from flowing out inadvertently (also prevents gagging). Then, load the tray with regular/heavy-body impression material. Finally, adapt the light-body impression material to the preparation and the adjacent teeth with the Occlusal Sweeps. It will push moisture and air ahead of the impression material, allowing no bubbles to form. Once the light-body impression material has been spread over the prepared area by the Occlusal Sweeps, the filled impression tray is inserted over the light-body material and is held in place until the impression material has polymerized. The combination of truly hydrophilic impression materials, a good tray technique, and the Occlusal Sweeps make impression-taking a simple and predictable procedure.
For more information, call (800) 827-7940 or visit danvillematerials.com.
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Build-It Light Cure Core Material |
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Core material technology has evolved through cast metal, prefabricated metal, glass ionomer, compomer, and composite resin. Recently, the most popular core build-up materials have been dual-cure composites that could be inserted into the canals and around the post; they could be light-initiated but would self-cure within 5 to 7 minutes. These dual-cure cores were compatible only with fourth-generation adhesives, requiring practitioners using fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-generations to maintain a dedicated adhesive material. Pentron Clinical has introduced Build-It Light Cure Core Material, specifically designed for clinicians who prefer on-command light curing (cures only upon light initiation). The light-cure-only chemistry provides excellent physical properties and is compatible with all fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-generation bonding agents. It cures to a depth of 10 mm within 20 seconds of curing time. This eliminates the need for time-consuming (and expensive) layering techniques. It sets to rock-hard consistency and cuts very similarly to natural dentin, and its Bis-GMA-free resin makes it sculptable and nonsticky during insertion, allowing excellent clinical adaptation. The Build-It Light Cure Core Material is available in both syringe and unit-dose delivery modes. The major advantage of light-cure-only resins is that they contain no phosphenes (agents that catalyze dual-curing after mixing or light initiation) in their chemistry. Phosphenes have a serious disadvantage of yellowing over time. In aesthetic cases, a yellowing core may cause aesthetic problems when placing semi or very translucent all-ceramic crowns. Build-It Light Cure Core Material’s excellent handling characteristics allow the clinician to be in complete control of the core procedure from beginning to end.
For more information, call (800) 551-0283 or visit pentron.com.
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E-VENT |
 Fluoride tray applications are not among a practice’s favorite activities. The foul taste and copious saliva production are just 2 of the problems. Spitting without expectorating the tray is virtually impossible, accumulating saliva that is unpleasant to swallow. This creates a rather unpleasant ending to the recall appointment. Young children often tend to inadvertently swallow the fluoride with a predictable effect that usually ends up on the chair or the floor. This is unpleasant for both the child and the dental team member assigned to clean it up. Premier Dental Products has introduced the E-VENT disposable dual-arch fluoride tray with a saliva ejector port that evacuates excess fluoride, saliva, and other fluids from inside the mouth, leaving the fluoride undiluted and the patient comfortable. (The fluid intake port on the underside of the tray is attached directly to the standard evacuation system.) The removal of the excess saliva allows the fluoride in the tray, in and around the teeth, to continue remineralizing tooth surfaces unimpeded. The E-VENT tray, developed by a dental hygienist, increases patient comfort and along with this comfort, patient compliance, a willingness to undergo the fluoride procedure. This innovative tray virtually 
eliminates gagging and has proven excellent for the younger set. Children are less likely to swallow excess fluoride and are thus less likely to leave a mess. The E-VENT tray is very flexible and contours comfortably to any mouth shape or size. It contains no latex or bisphenols and can be used with any fluoride material. It is easy to use, easy to place, easy to connect, and successfully eliminates excess fluid in-side the patient’s mouth during fluoride application.
For more information, call (888) 670-6100 or visit premusa.com.
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Harmony Dual-Arch Tray |
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The advantages of the dual-arch trays that we have used (for many years) for single-crown impressions are obvious: accurate impressions of the prepared tooth, the opposing arch, and the occlusal relationship in a single step. Precise and fast, dual-arch trays save 10 minutes or more per case. Dual-arch trays were designed for posterior use, until now. Ho Dental has introduced the Harmony, a dual-function device for anterior aesthetic cases: anterior tray and facial plane relator. Pick up the prepared teeth, the opposing arch, and the bite registration in one step while registering the facial midline, eliminating incorrectly angulated an-terior crowns and veneers. The lab technician who never sees the patient now has access to the required information to create a custom-designed aesthetic restoration. Separate the alignment sticks from the tray and each other and assemble the cross. After loading impression material into the tray, load the alignment stick area with the same material. Insert the dual-function anterior tray and ask the patient to bite in centric or maximum intercuspation. The assembled cross is seated into the handle-retaining area, and the dentist locates the facial midline and the horizontal plane. Once the midline and the horizontal plane have been located, the cross is held in place until the impression has polymerized, when the assembly is removed from the patient’s mouth. The sticks are disassembled and sent to the lab with the impression, where the technician can securely re-insert them to mark the facial midline and horizontal plane on the cast. The Harmony dual-arch tray impression system makes anterior impressions for aesthetic restorations easier, faster, and far more predictable.
For more information, call (866) 430-3718 or visit hodentalcompany.com.
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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.
