I am the last one of my friends to not have any kids. My friends’ kids are always around when the adults get together, and I am always amazed about how flexible they all are—things that would literally paralyze me, they do for fun. They seem to bounce off anything without injury, thanks to their flexibility.
I wish I had that flexibility—it’s so important for our day-to-day lives. Whether we’re trying to avoid injury or find products that can be used in different ways for different things, flexibility is key.
More Pearls:
Futurabond U is one of the most flexible bonding agents around. I don’t mean that it can bend any which way—I mean, we can use it in different methods depending on the clinical situation. This versatility makes Futurabond U a great choice for the only bonding agent you need in your restorative practice.
First, Futurabond U can be used with any etch method you wish. This could be a total-etch method (phosphoric acid etch on enamel and dentin), self-etch (no phosphoric acid etch anywhere), or selective-etch (phosphoric acid etch just on enamel). In addition, Futurabond U can be used for direct or indirect restorations. Because it has a low film thickness, it will not prevent an indirect restoration from seating. It will also bond to anything from enamel to dentin to metal to ceramic to resin.
One of the most flexible things about Futurabond U is that it can be used as light-cure, dual-cure, or self-cure without any additional activators. This is great for restorative dentistry, when we can use the same adhesive for a class II in one room and a deep post and core in the next. It just makes it simpler and less expensive not to have to keep other bottles around. Another great quality of Futurabond U is the unit-dose packaging—you know you’re always getting fresh, unseparated adhesive every single time. Simply press the “press here” button on the single-dose packet of Futurabond U; that will push the two parts of liquid together in the main dispensing chamber. Piece through the film with the applicator and mix the liquid inside to ensure an even, homogenous mixture. Then apply Futurabond U in any of the flexible ways it can work!
My number one criteria for an adhesive in my practice is flexibility. It needs to work in virtually every procedure possible without me having to worry. Futurabond U will bend over backward to work in your practice.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 2022 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
