A different flowable composite!

Joseph Blaes, DDS

Pearl 1 — EsthetX Flow™ from DENTSPLY Caulk. Well, here we go again — another flowable composite material. But this one is different!

As you probably already know, EsthetX is Caulk's new micro-hybrid composite material. Using this technology, Caulk has produced a liquid micro-hybrid. Depending on how you handle this material, it will give you the characteristics of stacking or flowing.

Put the syringe tip into a Class V cavity prep and the material will stack immediately, with no runoff or slumping. In a Class II situation, syringe EsthetX Flow onto the prep floor and walls. Slight instrumentation is all that is needed to make the material more fluid so it adapts to the anatomy of the prep, ensuring an even coat every time.

EsthetX has excellent radiopacity, so you actually can see a line of demarcation between the natural tooth and the restoration. It comes in seven Vita shades.

Order from your dealer. Call DENTSPLY Caulk at (800) 532-2855, Ext. 794, for more details.

Pearl 2 — Colgate Orabase Soothe-N-Seal™. My Colgate rep introduced me to this new product. We have used it with great success to provide relief for our patients who suffer from canker sores.

Orabase Soothe-N-Seal provides immediate and long-lasting relief by creating a protective barrier over the canker sore that stays in place for up to six hours. When applied, the discomfort from the sore is relieved immediately. Orabase Soothe-N-Seal will seal the sore from further irritation for up to six hours.

The liquid is dispensed into a well and applied with a supplied swab that has a round end to dry the sore and a pointed end to apply the liquid. Our patients rave about the product.

Orabase Soothe-N-Seal is an over-the-counter product. You can get samples by contacting your Colgate rep, or visit www.colg ateprofessional.com for more information. Your patients will be glad you did!

Pearl 3 — TempBond Unidose™ from KERR. Kerr has found a solution for your favorite zinc oxide and eugenol temporary cement. Now you can throw away those little tubes that get so messy.

TempBond is available in a Unidose throwaway dispenser for both TempBond NE and the regular eugenol TempBond formula. It comes in a handy foil pak. All you have to do is clip off the end and squeeze out the material onto a pad; then, mix it as you usually do. Now you are ready to apply it as a temporary cement.

My assistants love the Unidose dispensers, because they are so easy to store and easy to use. Do your assistant a favor — order the TempBond Unidose system and let her throw away those messy tubes!

Order from your dealer or visit www.sybrondental.com for more information.

Pearl 4 — Pro Clean™ from Premier Dental. Pro Clean is an outstanding professional tartar and stain remover for dentures, partials, retainers, and nightguards that is available in a predosed package.

It's fast and easy: Just empty the package into a beaker with 16 ounces of warm water and put it in an ultrasonic bath for one to five minutes. Presto! You have a clean, fresh appliance to return to your patient.

Here's an even better tip. In my practice, we always are breaking those glass beakers, so we just put the Pro Clean in a zip-lock bag with the warm water and put it into the ultrasonic. Throw everything (except the appliance) away when you are done.

The high-strength Pro Clean powder easily dissolves hard deposits. Even after you have thoroughly rinsed the appliance, it still will retain a pleasant mint aroma that patients really like.

Pro Clean also is ideal for cleaning the nightguards and retainers that patients don't bring to the office. A two-hour soak once a week is all that is required. This is a great value-added service for your patients!

Order from your local dental dealer. For additional information, call (888) 670-6100 or visit www.premusa.com.

Pearl 5 — Go Betweens™ Cleaners from Butler Gum®. This is a great, little, multi-use, tooth-cleaning aid that you can carry along in your purse or pocket to clean interproximally when flossing or brushing is out of the question. The small brush is mounted on a handy, plastic handle that comes with a cover.

The small, cylindrical shape fits small spaces and is meant for people with healthy tissue.

I can get into all of my interproximal spaces, even the lower anteriors, with Go Betweens. An antibacterial coating keeps the bristles clean. It bends at the neck for easy access to all interdental spaces.

My wife has a fixed bridge, and she uses Go Betweens to keep the pontic areas clean. She would not be without it.

Go Betweens are small, so you can use them discretely. I give samples to all of my patients, and many have become users of this handy cleaning device. Thanks, Butler, for another great product.

To order or obtain more information, visit www.jbutler.com.

Pearl 6 — Soft Tissue Trimmer #STT-016 from Axis Dental. The innovative people at Axis have come up with a bur design that will actually trim soft tissue with a high-speed handpiece.

This new bur runs at 300,000 to 500,000 rpm, gently removing tissue in the same way that you remove tooth with a diamond. There is no bleeding associated with the removal. Sounds unbelievable, doesn't it? The Soft Tissue Trimmer can be sterilized, and it is reusable.

Order from your dealer, or visit www.axisdental.com for more information.

Dr. Blaes has a general practice in the St. Louis area. He is known for his expertise in dental materials and techniques and his innovative systems designs. He writes and lectures on "How To Increase Productivity and Profitability." Dr. Blaes is a member of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration. He may be reached at [email protected].