Transforming dentistry

Helios 3000 LED Operating Light by Pelton & Crane — I can remember ordering dental equipment 30 years ago, and it was basically a DentalEZ J chair, a DentalEZ cart (with A-dec controls) and a Pelton & Crane Light Fantastic. That same Light Fantastic — with some improvements — is still available today, but light sources have changed. The light engineers at Pelton & Crane have designed a totally new LED operating light that is "light" years ahead of any you have ever seen. The Helios 3000 has patented color-mixing technology that provides touch-button control of the light temperature to produce 5,000°K or 4,200°K settings. This allows you to easily color-match your shades by verifying the accuracy at both settings, which allows you to take a shade on a cloudy day. The Helios 3000 also delivers a precisely calibrated 3 inch x 6 inch rectangular light pattern with no shadowing, a uniform intensity throughout, and with no color washout on the outer edges for perfect illumination of the oral cavity. And, it stays out of the patient's eyes. Each light is factory calibrated at 27 inches and has an extended depth of field of 18 to 36 inches. In my practice, I usually turn off the operating light for obvious reasons when I use a resin cement to seat veneers or build an anterior composite. One of the benefits of the Helios 3000 is a simple no-cure composite setting that is also touch-button controlled. This setting eliminates blue light from the spectrum while maintaining 15,000 LUX intensity, which gives us more than adequate lighting when using composites or resin cements. Fourteen LEDs with a minimum life expectancy of 10 years provide high, medium, and low intensities. Energy consumption is reduced by nearly 70% because LEDs require significantly less wattage. Based on the long life expectancy and energy consumption, this light will generate significant cost savings over time. The Helios 3000 is also vibration and shock resistant and generates nearly zero radiant heat. This means no more inadvertent burns from the treatment room light. If you are buying a new light, be sure to see this one first! Visit www.pelton.net or call (800) 659-6560 for more information.

NEODRYS® REFLECTIVE from Microcopy

Neodrys® Reflective from Microcopy — How many times have you isolated with cotton rolls or other absorbent pads for a procedure, only to have the parotid gland soak them before you completed what you were doing? It has happened more times than I like to remember. I have found that many procedures are easier with less wasted time for both upper and lower jaws when the entire parotid area is kept dry. You can do this very effectively with Neodrys Reflective. The bright, reflective backing provides superior illumination in the oral cavity while the Comfort Edge® maximizes patient comfort. This product offers great cheek retraction and protection while maintaining a dry field for a full 15 minutes. Sealants have never been easier! The risk of moisture contamination is effectively controlled without using a rubber dam. I have found them to be very effective in controlling saliva contamination when taking impressions. Neodrys Reflective will allow you to work productively while doing composites, cementations, crown and bridge, impressions, fluoride applications, gingival adhesives to control sensitivity, occlusal adjustments, orthodontic bonding, laser dentistry, and any other occasion you need a dry field. Save time and money by making these treatments easier and more effective. They are available in packs of 50 pads, in two sizes: large (blue) or small (yellow). Call Microcopy at (800) 235-1863 to receive a free sample. Visit them at www.neodrys.com for more information.

SmartCem™2 from Dentsply Caulk — You might be thinking, "Just what we need, another self-adhesive cement." Well, listen up, this one is different and better. This cement has the "smart" combination of retentive and mechanical strengths and handling convenience. SmartCem2 bonds effectively to all substrate materials such as porcelain, composite, all-ceramic and metal-based restorations. It has been formulated for high retention to both enamel and dentin. This cement excels in mechanical strengths: very low water solubility, high compressive strength, effectively sealed margins, and color stability. The cement has excellent radiopacity so it is easily identifiable on X-rays. SmartCem2 has a new, proprietary initiating system that requires no refrigeration and is shade-stable. The cement's handling characteristics include an ample working time of up to two minutes, but it sets quickly in only two minutes. Here is the best part — the convenience of a gel stage for easy clean up of excess cement. After placing cement in the crown, seat the restoration on the tooth and ensure complete seating. The gel phase starts after one minute and lasts about one minute. In my office, we light-cure the margins for less than 10 seconds and I have about 45 seconds to easily remove the excess cement and floss the interproximal areas. My assistant stabilizes the restoration with an instrument while I am flossing. SmartCem2 is delivered in two systems: a 5 gram smart syringe (with a low-waste mixing tip) for easy dispensing and control, and a digit™ unidose for great control, convenience, and infection control. Visit www.caulk.com/smartcem2.html or call (800) LD-CAULK for more information.

Easy Tray from Septodont — This is one of my favorite products. I met the inventor, Dr. John Wagner, about 10 years ago at the CDA meeting in Anaheim and have used the product ever since. The Easy Tray system is fast, clean, and odor-free, and saves you from the mixing, mess, and smell of fabricating acrylic trays. Just soften the thermoplastic material under hot water (=170°) for less than a minute, and then mold it directly in the patient's mouth or on a model. Easy Tray gives you more while using less. It forms a rigid and dimensionally stable tray that is as accurate as custom acrylic trays. Plus, Easy Tray uses less impression material than a stock tray in a full-arch impression, and less than a quadrant dual-arch tray. Using less impression material means more comfort and less gagging for your patients and a better overall experience. Use Easy Tray to create impression trays, denture trays or rigid bite registrations, to form a matrix for temporary crowns, to cover bone graft donor sites, and for full ortho bite registrations. Visit www.septodontusa.com or call (800) 872-8305 for more information.

Pearl Update: esa (Extended Straight Attachment) by Preventech — This is one of the best products in recent history for the dental hygienist! A hygienist, Karen, who used to work for me as a dental assistant many years ago now is a part-time hygienist in my office and does some assisting for me as well. She came into the office a couple of months ago complaining about pain in her wrist and thumbs. She especially noticed it in the other office where she works full time. Karen was sure she had carpal tunnel syndrome and had an appointment with a physician. I told her to take my lightweight esa handpiece and motor and I gave her a box of right/left gloves. In less than a week, she was doing great! Imagine replacing the heavy nose cone of your handpiece with a plastic nose cone and prophy angle all in one that will reduce the weight by 50%! That's a no brainer, right? The problem is that it is available only for Star Titan and Midwest Rhino and Shorty handpieces. Now the friendly folks at Preventech have come up with a solution for all you folks who do not own those handpieces. They will give you an esamate low-speed handpiece when you order an economy box of esas. That amounts to a savings of $400. This is a limited-time offer, so order from your dealer now or visit them at www.preventech.com for more information. Give your hygienists a break — don't miss out on this deal.