Protemp Plus Temporization Material

According to the manufacturer, Protemp Plus is tough and has the highest fracture resistance of other leading temporary materials. The material is indicated for use with single- and multiple-unit temporaries, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays, and veneers. It is also indicated for long-term temporization. In this Dental Product Shopper evaluation, 11 dentists used Protemp Plus in their practices for 4 weeks. They rated the material on such things as strength, esthetics, ease of use, and color stability.

Strength

In vitro tests performed at Tufts University measuring material toughness among several temporization materials, Protemp Plus was shown to have greater resistance to fracture.¹ In addition, field tests conduced by 3M ESPE found that dentists reported fewer unscheduled office visits as a result of fractured temporaries when Protemp Plus was used compared to other materials. When the evaluators were asked to rate the strength of Protemp Plus, 6 rated it as excellent, 4 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good. One evaluator said, “I had a thin margin that did break, but overall it was good.” Another evaluator said, “No breakage noted.”

Esthetics

3M ESPE describes Protemp Plus as having outstanding esthetics with a natural gloss that does not require polishing or glaze and excellent color stability. The material comes in 5 fluorescent shades that match Filtek Supreme Plus flowable restorative. The 11 evaluators were asked to rate the esthetics of Protemp Plus. Eight evaluators rated the esthetics as excellent, 2 rated them as very good, and 1 rated them as good. One evaluator said, “Looks great.” A second evaluator said, “Both the patients and I were pleased.”

Ease of Use

The manufacturer says that the procedure associated with Protemp Plus is fast and does not require polishing or glazing on unadjusted areas. Because of the nanotechnology incorporated into the material, the temporary surface is smooth, so that simply cleaning the temporary with alcohol achieves the desired gloss. According to 3M ESPE, dentists find Protemp Plus convenient and easy to use. The evaluators were asked to rate the material’s ease of use and speed and simplicity of the technique. With regard to ease of use, 9 evaluators rated Protemp Plus as excellent, 1 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good. When asked about the Protemp Plus technique, 9 evaluators rated it as excellent and 2 rated it as good. One evaluator said, “No great amount of polishing was needed.” This same evaluator said that it was “very easy and straight-forward.” Another evaluator described the material as “easy to use.”

Color Stability and Plaque Removal

The manufacturer says that an improved surface quality allows Protemp Plus to hold color better than other materials, which is a benefit in long-term situations. When the evaluators were asked to rate the color stability of Protemp Plus, 10 rated it as excellent and 1 rated it as good. One evaluator said, “Temps were short term, but were stable.” In addition to maintaining color stability, the manufacturer says that the improved surface quality also makes it easier to remove plaque from the temporaries. When the evaluators were asked about plaque removal, 5 rated it as excellent, 4 rated it as very good, and 2 did not answer. One evaluator said, “Patients were able to keep the temporaries clean.”

Overall Satisfaction

When the evaluators were asked if they would recommend Protemp Plus to their colleagues, 10 said definitely or probably and 1 wasn’t sure. When asked if they would purchase the material in the future, 9 said definitely or probably and 2 weren’t sure. At the end of the evaluation, the dentists who participated were asked to give their overall satisfaction rating for Protemp Plus. Six evaluators rated it as excellent, 3 rated it as very good, and 2 rated it as good.

Reference

1. Babcic V, Perry R, Kugel G. Selected mechanical properties of temporary crown and bridge. J Dent Res. 2008;87(Spec Iss A):0371.