Look sharp!

Joe Blaes, DDS

Septoject/Septodont

Septoject by Septodont — Since Becton-Dickenson (B-D) quit making the "world's sharpest" dental needle, many dentists and staff have called, emailed, and written asking where they can get the needles. B-D has withdrawn them from the market so you can't get them anymore. Too bad! Since then, I have been looking for a needle to replace the B-D, and I am happy to tell you I have found it. I have used the Septoject dental needle for the past month and have discovered that it is, in my opinion the new "world's sharpest." The Septoject tip is triple beveled to ensure smooth and easy insertion into the tissue. I could not feel the needle penetrate. The entire needle is siliconized to guarantee a smooth motion during the injection. Dentists can quickly orient the needle bevel with the clearly marked bevel indicator.

All of these attributes maximize patient comfort. Septoject comes with a prethreaded plastic hub for easy, straight attachment onto the syringe. The needle is available in all the popular gauges and in lengths that are individually color coded for easy identification. My personal preference is the 30-gauge in regular length and super-short length. I find either one of these needles will take care of all my intraoral injections. So give your patients a break! Order some Septoject needles today. Order from your dealer or, for more information, call Septodont at (800) 872-8305. Visit their Web site at www.septodontusa.com.

Geristore Syringeable by Den-Mat — Here's a material we've used for years in a new and easier delivery system. Geristore Syringeable's dual-cure formulation is a hydrophilic Bis-GMA material. It has properties that make it my restoration of choice for subgingival lesions such as histological biocompatibility, self-adhesion to dentin and cementum, fluoride release, no microleakage, low coefficient of expansion, and low polymerization shrinkage. This new system is a dual-cartridge delivery with disposable auto mixing tips and interproximal tips. It is easy and simple to dispense with no hand mixing, which enables us to produce consistent subgingival restorations every time. Use for restoring erosion lesions, root caries lesions, and deciduous teeth. Order from DenMat by calling (800) 445-0345, or visit www.denmat.com for more information.

Sterilex® Ultra for dental unit water lines by Sterilex. We have all been searching for the ideal water to clean up the biofilm in our dental unit water lines. I have found one that is easy to use, and it works. Here is the issue: Today, we are faced with the challenge of assuring high-quality dental unit water. Numerous studies have shown that untreated dental unit water does not meet EPA standard for drinking water and is often highly contaminated with microorganisms. ADA, OSAP, and new CDC guidelines set infection control standards for dental unit water quality that meet or exceed drinking water standards. Scientific research has shown that biofilm that grows in dental lines serves as a reservoir for bacteria. This biofilm must be eliminated to prevent rapid contamination with microorganisms. Sterilex Ultra is the product that will help you meet the latest infection control guidelines and provide a safe environment for your patients and your staff. This is a fast and easy product to use, and, since Sterilex products are so effective, they are the only ones with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Order from your dealer or visit www.sterilex.com for more information.

Ultra Gauze™ by Crosstex. This is another product I've been using for years. It was formerly called Nu Gauze and was sold under the Johnson & Johnson label. They have quit making the product, so Crosstex seized the idea and began manufacturing Ultra Gauze, which uses the same material. In case you are unfamiliar with this product, here are some of its key features. Ultra Gauze is more absorbent than traditional gauze sponges. It maintains its shape and texture during use. It will not stick to surfaces, and it easily releases from incision and extraction sites. Ultra Gauze produces almost no lint — I love it for cleaning up excess resin cement when I am seating a veneer case. It is ideal for cleaning and/or prepping. So treat yourself and your staff to the Cadillac of gauze sponges, and order Ultra Gauze from your dealer today. Visit www.crosstex.com for more information.