Why I Use... DryDent
Soft, comfortable, and super-absorbent, DryDent replaces cotton rolls to provide a cleaner, drier working environment
Human salivary glands produce around 0.25–0.35 mL of saliva per minute. But when stimulated, that amount can reach up to 3 mL per minute. No one understands this better than the dental clinician tasked with maintaining a dry field in a naturally moist environment. Featuring optimal moisture control and ideal patient comfort, Directa Dental’s DryDent offers a superabsorbent solution. Here, Robert Beatty, DDS, shares how DryDent helps him maintain a dry field and boosts his efficiency during restorations.
One of the greatest challenges clinicians face is maintaining a clean, dry oral environment while keeping the patient comfortable. To overcome isolation concerns and control the fl ow of saliva during procedures, I use Directa Dental's DryDent, a superabsorber that surpasses traditional cotton rolls and dry angles in several ways: It offers better moisture control, ideal patient comfort, excellent coverage, and zero leakage when absorbed to capacity.
Easy to place, this flexible material glides into position with smooth edges and no sharp corners. DryDent stays in place when wet, unlike soaked cotton rolls, which move easily and get in the way. Thin and just the right size, DryDent never obscures the field of view as other absorbents sometimes do.
Clinical Success
I recently had to restore a few small decays on the lingual exposed root surfaces of an elderly patient's lower anteriors. During the preparation phase, I easily placed DryDent Sublingual beneath the tongue. The absorbent material, which is designed to collect and control saliva produced by the sublingual and submandibular glands, helped me protect the lingual floor of the mouth while I used the handpiece. During the restoration phase, I placed another DryDent Sublingual on top of the first one and a DryDent Parotid on either side, directly over the open ducts of the parotid gland. With both DryDent designs in place, I was able to successfully carry out the restorations while preserving a dry field and preventing patient discomfort.
2 Designs for Superior Absorbency
DryDent Sublingual
• Controls saliva produced by the sublingual submandibular glands
• Placed under the tongue for the optimal collection of unwanted moisture under the sublingual area
• Should be slightly moist before placement for easy and individual adaptation to the patient's sublingual area
• Available in 2 sizes—large (38×60×2 mm) and small (30×50×2 mm)
DryDent Parotid
• Manages the amount of saliva produced by the parotid glands
• Placed directly over the open ducts of the parotid gland where saliva is absorbed the most
• Superabsorbent foam material traps unwanted moisture, facilitating drier fields for impression taking, cementation, and filling procedures
• Available in 2 sizes—large (50×43×2 mm) and small (40×36×2 mm)
Robert Beatty, DDS
Dr. Beatty has over 25 years of experience in dentistry. He has been an active member of such professional organizations as the Texas Dental Association and the American Dental Association. He is also an officer and a committee chair in the North Texas Dental Society. A Fellow in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, Dr. Beatty is currently an Associate Clinical Professor at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry. He has completed numerous continuing education courses in order to increase knowledge and provide the latest in information, procedures, and technology for his patients.
