Choose Wisely for Restorative Success
Two of BISCO’s tried-and-true restorative materials top DPS readers’ lists as go-to products
Clinical journals, product reviews, sales reps, trade shows, continuing education…there’s no shortage of ways to find out about the latest and greatest dental materials designed to take your restorative outcomes to new heights. While variety can certainly be the spice of life when it comes to the dental marketplace, there is something to be said for products that have stood the test of time by offering much-needed predictability in a variety of clinical scenarios.
BISCO’s ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL is one of those products. Lauded as a Best Product by DPS evaluators in 2012 for its ideal balance of simplicity, versatility, and reliability, the single-bottle etchant, primer, and adhesive has been a gift to clinicians that keeps on giving.
Dr. Jason Wasserman, who has been using the light-cured universal adhesive for over 6 years in his Carteret, NJ, practice, shared, “The bonds seem to be holding up well, and I’ve had very few issues with sensitivity." He appreciates that ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL is now available in both a 6-mL bottle as well as 0.2-mL unit doses, as it increases his confidence that the adhesive chemistry remains unchanged.
“I have tried the unit dose and love it,” shared Mitchell Pasenkoff, DMD, who added that postop sensitivity decreased significantly for his patients after he began using it. “ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL is versatile and works well with many different types of restorations—from resin-based composites to zirconia crowns. It can even be used to repair fractured porcelain crowns, which is not always true of other bonding agents.”
Versatility also is a key reason why David Martin, DDS, MAGD, a restorative and cosmetic dentist in Totowa, NJ, has relied on ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL over the years. “Having one adhesive that can be used for self-etch, total-etch, direct, and indirect bonding methods simplifies the clinical procedure,” he said. “And, its compatibility with self- and dual- cured composites without a separate dual-cure activator reduces the inventory of materials required in the office.”
Getting to Know the Thera Family
While one of BISCO’s more recent product developments, the Thera family of materials—which includes the self-adhesive resin cement TheraCem and resin-modified calcium silicate liners TheraCal LC and TheraCal PT—already has gained a significant following among clinicians.
"The BISCO sales and customer service team is great— they are knowledgeable about their products, always go the extra mile, and will not sell you products you don't need."
-Mitchell Pasenkoff, DMD
The first member to join the Thera family, TheraCal LC is a light-cured material that can be used for direct and indirect pulp capping or as a protective liner. It was a top pick among DPS readers this year thanks to its thixotropic properties that allow for precise placement in deep cavity preparations and its unique calcium-releasing ability that stimulates hydroxyapatite and secondary bridge formation.1,2
“I have been using TheraCal LC for the past 5 years with great results,” said Dr. Martin. “Its formulation has saved many teeth that had either pinpoint exposures or were very deep— freeing these patients from more extensive treatment and preserving the dentition of many others.”
Dr. Pasenkoff has been happy to achieve similar results using TheraCal LC over the past few years and has found that it works well for pulp capping and to decrease sensitivity in deep restorations. “I love the calcium release and you can bond over the material,” he added.
Fueling New Innovation
While BISCO is undoubtedly in business to sell dental products, the manufacturer’s most important end-goal is a humble one: to share knowledge and listen to its customers. Doing so offers a window into the dental practice that can help identify gaps or limitations of the restorative procedure and foster new research into product development—ultimately fueling the next new product that will stand the test of time.
5 Reasons to Try TheraCal LC
1. Unique hydrophilic matrix facilitates calcium release*
2. Alkaline pH promotes healing and apatite formation1,2
3. Syringe delivery allows for simple and precise placement—even in deep preparations
4. High radiopacity for easy differentiation from recurrent decay and restorative materials
5. Moisture tolerance results in low water solubility*
*BISCO has data on file
References
1. ADA definitions for direct and indirect pulp capping at: www.ada.org/en/publications/cdt/glossary-of-dental-clinical-andadministrative-ter
2. Okabe T, Sakamoto M, Takeuchi H, Matsushima K. Effects of pH on mineralization ability of human dental pulp cells. J Endod. 2006;32(3):198–201.
