Completing the Restorative Puzzle with BISCO's 'Best'

In modern restorative dentistry, clinical excellence is built at the intersection of advanced technique and a fully coordinated material ecosystem. And for the past 45 years, BISCO has done just that. From etchant, primers, and adhesives to liners and cements, the company has stuck to the science, delivering dependable solutions for virtually every step of the restorative process.

Now, the restorative puzzle is complete with Quantium, a truly universal composite engineered for optimized handling, low shrinkage, and high polishability in everyday restorative cases.

Launched last year, this once-missing puzzle piece already is making a strong impression on dentists everywhere, including Dr. Lauren Yasuda Rainey, an educator and general dentist in Seattle, WA. “The chemistry in today’s composites is very strong, and Quantium has taken the best elements that make composites easier to place and combined them into one material,” she said.

The Trifecta: Beauty, Strength, and Control

Creating a restorative material that delivers on multiple ideal properties was the objective from day one. As Project Manager Shruti Dere explained, the BISCO team developing Quantium carefully balanced ease of handling with high flexural strength, low volumetric shrinkage, high radiopacity, and optimal esthetics.

“BISCO recognizes that every dentist has different expectations when it comes to handling, which is why Quantium is designed for versatility,” Dere said. For example, Quantium’s strategic range of filler sizes enables dense packing, while a proprietary prepolymerization process allows for increased filler loading without Product—a universal composite designed for sacrificing polishability or handling.

Warm It Up—Or Don't

Quantium initially piqued Dr. Rainey’s interest because the unit-dose capsules can be warmed for a softer handling consistency, which is her preference when placing composite. The warmed material is easy to manipulate, seamlessly flowing into fine anatomical details and internal line angles.

“Warming can be better for ergonomics, too,” Dr. Rainey said. “You don’t have to push as hard to get the material into hard-to-reach places. It decreases the extrusion force.”

That said, she noted that Quantium always stays where it’s put—whether at room temperature or warmed. It also won’t stick to instruments or lift during placement, no matter what type of instrument is used.

‘Wow’ Results in the Anterior

Quantium delivers each of these benefits without compromising esthetics—even in the anterior.

Formulated to blend beautifully with surrounding dentition, Quantium comes in various shades in both enamel and body translucencies, which means clinicians can layer opaquer shades toward the bottom and more translucent shades near the surface as the restoration is built up.

“Quantium esthetics have that ‘wow’ factor,” shared Howard Glazer, DDS, FAGD. “You have options to finish the restoration depending on how much you choose to do.”

Dr. Glazer, a clinician and educator who practices in Fort Lee, NJ, added that all too often, especially with cases of fracture and wear in the esthetic zone, dental students and professionals are taught to pursue a lab-processed veneer, or worse, cut the tooth down for a crown, which he said is not always necessary.

“Minimally invasive direct composite restorations will last the patient many years with proper care, thanks both to the technique and durability of the Quantium composite,” he said, adding that the material provides a more economical way to achieve a highly esthetic result.

“Quantium has the esthetics, handling, and radiopacity, as well as the volumetric, flexural, and compressive strength needed to be a winning product," Dr. Glazer concluded.

An Everyday Pair: All-Bond Universal and Duo-Link Universal

Among BISCO’s growing collection of Perfect Pairs—curated combinations of dental materials that work together to improve clinical efficiency, bond strength, and success in restorative procedures—is All-Bond Universal and Duo-Link Universal. Deemed a Best Product in 2022 after earning an ultrahigh score of 4.8 out of 5, this power couple has helped streamline and speed up the workflows of countless clinicians every day.

While the 1-bottle All-Bond Universal was developed to be fully compatible with any dual-cure cement on the market, when paired with Duo-Link Universal, a dual-cure luting resin cement, it yields a very high bond strength to tooth structure, which is ultimately what every restorative dentist wants to achieve.

“This is a complete system with a very good workfl ow that’s very easy to use, simple, and not time-consuming,” said DPS evaluator Jason Sherman, DDS, FAGD.

For Dr. Eric Leibowitz, these "versatile, easy-to-use, and dependable” materials made his chairside experience a breeze.

“The ease of mixing, esthetics, and confi dence of knowing that Duo-Link Universal comes from a reputable company like BISCO with years of research behind its products lets me relax and not worry about my restorations’ long-term outcomes,” Dr. Michael Teitelbaum assured.

Tackling Zirconia: ZirClean and Z-Prime Plus

Stressing over debonds is no fun for anyone, and when it comes to zirconia, the plot thickens.

“We get a lot of questions on zirconia bonding,” said Brian Rosetti, Senior Inside Sales Territory Manager at BISCO. “There are so many good materials out there, but not all of them can be used the same way. Do you try in and clean? Do you prime first, then try in? Should you do a full bonded procedure? Do you like self-adhesive cements?”

While there are many ways to properly seat zirconia, Rosetti added, the complexities increase—as do the chances for failure—when you don’t follow a set protocol with your materials each time.

“We’re here to support dentists with that protocol and help them find the right materials for their restorations for great results and efficiency,” he said.

That support arrives in the form of another Perfect Pair: ZirClean and Z-Prime Plus. Crowned as a DPS Best Product in 2024, the pair works together seamlessly. ZirClean removes phosphate contamination from restoration surfaces after try-in, while Z-Prime Plus leverages 2 active monomers to enhance adhesion between indirect restorative materials and resin cements.

Together, the 2 materials make bonding to zirconia—once thought an impossible task—fast, easy, and predictable.

“ZirClean’s syringe delivery and gel consistency facilitate precise placement of only the amount needed to cover the intaglio surface evenly before rinsing off easily, and Z-Prime Plus’ light-blocking plastic bottle with dropper makes dispensing the right amount easier than with a glass bottle,” Dr. Bilyana Tesic said.

Beyond delivery, Dr. Tesic appreciated the ability to use the products on zirconia, alumina, and metal surfaces, which she said helped streamline the cleansing and bonding procedure. “They’ll make your life—and your patients’ lives—easier.”

For DPS evaluators, the reliable adhesive cementation afforded by ZirClean and Z-Prime Plus led to a decrease in crown debonding, especially for Dr. Charley Cheney, who shared, “Having fewer crown recementations makes the whole team happy!”

Confidence Through Calcium Release: TheraBase and TheraCem

Calcium-releasing products allow dentists to take a more conservative approach to restorative care when an alkaline pH is generated, helping to heal the pulp and potentially avoid costly root canals.

While it seems like a no-brainer to jump on the calcium bandwagon, it wasn’t always that way. Before the first member of BISCO’s Thera family was introduced, many products that offered calcium release were difficult to use—from powder and liquid mixes to special capsule mixers and long setting times.

TheraCal LC changed all that by providing clinicians with an easy-to-use, resin-based, calcium-releasing restorative material that could be delivered directly into the prep and light-cured. Over the years, the chemistry infused in TheraCal LC expanded to meet other clinical needs, resulting in TheraCem and TheraBase, both DPS Best Products.

A self-adhesive resin cement, TheraCem contains the MDP monomer for strong adhesion to metal and zirconia. After being exposed to moisture, the calcium silicate kicks in and TheraCem's pH transitions from acidic to alkaline within minutes.

Voted in as a Best Product nearly a decade ago, TheraCem continues to give clinicians confidence during indirect restorations, including Sheri Doniger, DDS, who said she's never bought a product from BISCO that’s failed her.

“One of the great things about TheraCem is its versatility,” Dr. Doniger said. “Aside from the fact that it delivers a strong bond to any substrate, it also has continuous calcium and fluoride release. Cleanup also is a cinch, which is one of my team’s favorite features.”

A dual-curing base and liner, TheraBase shines in deep restorations thanks to its strength—it can absorb compressive loads while still releasing calcium.

“Even when patients lose a temporary, they seem to report less sensitivity because TheraBase seals the pulpal floor,” said Manhattan dentist Alex Vasserman, DMD, who uses TheraBase in posterior restorations when the preparation is deep to the pulp, as well as in situations with evidence of affected dentin on the pulpal floor.

“TheraBase contains the monomer MDP, so you don’t need to prime and bond the pulpal floor prior to its application,” he added. “I typically just particle abrade the pulpal floor and apply TheraBase right onto the surface and light cure. It’s very convenient and easy to use.”

Simple But Never Simplistic

If you’ve visited the BISCO website recently, you may have noticed a fresh new look. While familiar features—such as Ask the Experts, which allows dentists to pose questions to BISCO leaders such as Dr. Rolando Nuñez, Clinical Marketing Manager, and Dr. Qiang Ma, Manager of R&D Technology—remain, an Education tab now serves as a hub for blogs, e-books, brochures, webinars, and more. There’s also the popular Bonding and Beer podcast hosted by Dr. Nuñez.

“I think Ask the Experts is a nice feature,” Dr. Craig Aebli shared, “because if I have specific questions, I know there is a resource to get possible answers. And having educational content is always a plus. I look for that type of content to properly understand how products work and how they should be used.”

In Dr. Mitchell Pasenkoff’s opinion, “More dental websites should be like this.” A longtime fan of BISCO products such as All-Bond Universal in his Norfolk, MA, dental practice, Dr. Pasenkoff said for BISCO educational videos, they’re all on one site. “The videos and Pro Tips answer the questions you have but are afraid to ask, and it’s all presented in a way that’s simple but never condescending,” he added.

Time Equals Trust

So, what’s next in the BISCO world? The company remains committed to improving dental materials through science and research, providing clinicians with products they know they can trust.

“The amount of time they spent with me early on just for me to understand the science behind their materials really set them apart,” said Ed Suh, DDS, FAGD. “There was no guarantee I was going to use the BISCO products, but they still spent a lot of 1-on-1 time with me.”

Easy access to the science behind the materials helped instill Dr. Suh’s trust in BISCO, making it easy for him to accept the materials would work as advertised.

“They’re willing to be questioned about their products and to be challenged, and that’s huge."