While I was in dental school, I worked as a dental assistant over the summers. I got more out of it than just pay. I learned how to do things that dental school never taught. Thankfully, one of those things was not throwing instruments. One of my classmates worked with someone who chucked instruments across the operatory. Yikes! No one wants to work with an instrument thrower. Thankfully, I did not learn that habit.
But that doesn’t mean I’m never tempted. We all know there are times that frustrations get the best of us and make us want to throw instruments, punch a wall, and slam our office door. For me, that usually happens when I’m struggling to place a matrix on a class II restoration. There is nothing more frustrating! Fortunately, Bioclear Evolve Posterior Matrix Kit can help keep you from breaking your instruments (or squandering your good bourbon).
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The Bioclear systems in general are great to look into if you don’t know much about them. They are, as the name indicates, clear matrices that allow you to cure through them. They are made out of a nice-shaped mylar material and are all uniquely shaped to help you achieve the best contact possible. Generally, Bioclear matrices involve learning some new techniques and preparations to get the most out of them.
The Bioclear Evolve Posterior Matrix Kit has made some drastic improvements over its predecessor. The matrices are wider. They come in three different anatomically preshaped widths that fit more teeth and require less manual shaping and contouring. The new matrices are also deeper, offering deeper extensions for better gingival sealing at the bottom of the box. Finally, it’s easier than before to select the correct size matrix with the Evolve system. With a special probelike instrument, one can easily measure to find the appropriate matrix height and determine whether the preparation can be filled in one bulk monoblock. The Bioclear Evolve Posterior Matrix System has, well, evolved.
Included in the kit are blue Evolve matrices. These are the primary workhorses of this kit. We get those in heights of 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, and 9 mm. Next up, we get orange Evolve matrices. Those have a flatter emergence profile curvature than the blue and are used when the blue matrix inverts during placement. In addition, pink Evolve matrices are available for when we have very broad teeth with tight root proximity, like between maxillary first and second molars. This is welcome, as that is a contact area I routinely struggle with in other matrix kits. The pink Evolve matrices are an additional purchase, not included in any kits, but are a nice add-on.
In addition, we get molar and premolar rings and wedges. The wedges come in five different sizes (small, medium, large, extra-large, and deep caries). These options are nice to help us treat any contact. We also get a set of ring forceps, a push-pull matrix instrument, and our measuring instrument. With this kit and some online videos on the Bioclear website’s amazing video library, you will be able to quickly and easily restore any class II without throwing instruments around your operatory!
Editor's note: This article appeared in the June 2022 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
