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Pearls for Your Practice: 3M Protemp Plus

Aug. 21, 2022
Nice provisionals that have fewer post-op issues start by picking the right provisional material, and Protemp Plus is a great choice.

One of the most important aspects of our indirect restorative procedure is also one of the most undervalued. Frequently, a provisional seems like an annoying thing that we have to get done at the end of the procedure—so frequently, it gets rushed through. We have to get that operatory turned over for the next patient, so why not cut a few corners? Time is money, isn’t it? It is, after all, just a temporary, right? That could not be further from the truth!

The provisional does so much for us. It maintains space, both mesiodistally and occlusally, which eliminates drifting and supraerupting. It seals off the exposed dentin to prevent sensitivity. It also is esthetic because most patients don’t want to walk around with prepared teeth showing! Cutting corners on a provisional can lead to problems seating, more remakes, and post-op issues such as increased rate of endodontics and pain and sensitivity. Let’s make nice provisionals so that we have fewer post-op issues. It starts by picking the right provisional material, and Protemp Plus is a great choice.

More Pearls:

iTero TimeLapse by Align Technology

Invisalign Professional Whitening System

Protemp Plus is a bis-acryl GMA material for provisional restorations. It has extremely high fracture resistance and toughness, which means fewer post-op appointments for broken provisionals. This is because of the unique filler technology, designed to give a strong, yet beautiful resin material. It also has a very thin air-inhibited layer, which makes trimming and polishing quick and easy. A smooth, beautiful provisional is faster than ever with Protemp Plus.

Esthetics are another great reason to choose Protemp Plus. It has a fluorescence very similar to natural tooth structure, providing beautiful results in all kinds of light. With excellent color stability, your provisionals will remain beautiful even if you need a patient to wear them long term. Protemp Plus is made in a number of shade options to help you with any esthetic dilemma (bleach, A1, A2, A3, A3.5, and B3).

Total set time on Protemp Plus is around five minutes, which means you can produce high-quality, long-lasting, stable provisionals quickly and simply. A fundamentally great provisional sets us up for success with our final restoration. Making smart choices here, like using Protemp Plus, saves us from heartache and headache later.

About the Author

Joshua Austin, DDS, MAGD

Joshua Austin, DDS, MAGD, is a graduate and former faculty member of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry. Author of Dental Economics’ Pearls for Your Practice column, Dr. Austin lectures nationally on products, dental technology, online reputation management, and social media. He maintains a full-time restorative dentistry private practice in San Antonio, Texas. You may contact Dr. Austin at [email protected].

Updated June 21, 2023

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