Pearls For Your Practice

Joe Blaes, DDS

COMPONEER™
from Coltene, Inc.

When was the last time you did a freehand composite bonding on six upper anterior teeth? How long was the patient in the chair? Was the procedure done in one visit? Do you remember how you felt when you finished? How much did you charge the patient? Is there an easier way? YES, there is. Coltene has introduced a new product, COMPONEER, the first direct composite veneering system. The prefabricated, nanohybrid composite enamel shells combine the advantages of direct composite restoration with the advantages of prefabricated veneers. This is the first perfected system to allow easy restoration of anterior teeth with customized composite shells. I took the course in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., recently, and did the upper right and left central incisors on my grandson, Alex. Both he and I liked the result. It took me only about an hour with time out for lots of photos. So, where does the COMPONEER fit in? It is somewhere between freehand direct composite bonding and the placement of porcelain veneers. As most of you know, I have placed thousands of porcelain veneers since I started in 1979. Wow! That is more than 30 years! COMPONEERS are great when a one-day solution is desirable. Sometimes we want to be able to modify and repair veneers over time, especially with adolescent patients. It is hard to do this with porcelain veneers. COMPONEERS are particularly advantageous when cost concerns influence the choice. The preshaped veneers are available in different sizes, and are easy to use for single-tooth or complete reconstruction in the anterior region. The time-consuming forming of anatomical shape and surface and elaborate trimming are no longer required. Advantages for the dentist include easy and efficient use, only one session required, quality restorations with excellent esthetic results, no impressions or lab necessary, adjustable and repairable, economical for dentists and patients, and added value to the practice to attract new patients and increase veneer procedures for existing patients. There are also good reasons for the patient, such as beautiful teeth after one appointment, a high level of conservation of tooth substance, reduced treatment stress, customized solution, high surface and edge quality, and more economical than indirect solutions. If you are interested in COMPONEERS, my best advice is to take one of the many hands-on courses being offered by Coltene.

Call (800) 221-3046, ext. 2 for details.

Herculite™ Ultra
from Kerr

This is a brand that has been around for more than 20 years, with multiple studies and research reports that

affirm its quality. I have used Herculite for years because of its performance and predictability. I use it because of the great wear resistance, good packing, polishing, and esthetic characteristics. I have experienced some issues with the handling of the original product. So while Herculite Ultra has many new benefits, the one that impresses me most is that the resin matrix now has a creamy, nonsticky consistency that makes handling and sculpting easy so you can produce great esthetic results. There are three fillers — prepolymerized filler (PPF), nanoparticles (50 nm), and submicron hybrid filler (0.4 μm) — that work in unison to achieve the ultimate in esthetics and strength. Herculite Ultra polishes quickly, easily, and beautifully with a long-lasting clinical luster for patient and doctor satisfaction. This material has true VITA® shade match to give you a chameleon effect with surrounding tooth structure. Because of this blending effect, you often need only one shade to achieve the desired esthetic look. This simplified shading system, combined with high wear strength and mechanical properties based on the original Herculite’s proven durability, gives you a great nanohybrid composite.

Order from your dealer or visit www.kerrdental.com/herculiteultra for more information.

OraVerse® (phentolamine mesylate)
from Septodont

When was the last time you had a local anesthetic for a dental procedure, especially a mandibular block or an anterior infiltration? It’s an awful feeling, isn’t it? You cannot tell what you are doing with your lips or tongue. Then you have to wait for that pins-and-needles feeling to go away. This is frustrating, particularly if you have another appointment. How many children have you seen the next day after they had a local, and then chewed up their tongue, lip, or cheek? We do this every day to patients and really don’t even think about it. When was the last time you tried to change how your patients feel about their dental visits? Now you can give them some new possibilities for a visit that requires anesthesia. I have eliminated fear of injection from my practice, but now I have a way to reverse the aftereffects of local anesthesia. OraVerse is a breakthrough that reverses unwanted lingering soft tissue anesthesia after routine dental procedures when a local anesthetic with a vasoconstrictor is used. In clinical trials, patients regained lip sensation twice as fast as the control group. It is proven safe and effective for adults and children ages 6 and older, and who weigh 33 pounds or more. This agent accelerates the reversal of the lingering soft tissue numbness associated with the most widely used local anesthetics with a vasoconstrictor available in the U.S. OraVerse rapidly restores normal function so patients can speak, smile, and drink normally in approximately half the time. It is easy to use, and requires only a simple injection with a standard dental syringe. My go-to person for anesthetic information is Dr. Stanley Malamed. Here is what he has to say about OraVerse: “I anticipate a tremendous interest both from doctors and patients in this new product.” This product belongs in every office that uses a local anesthetic, and especially in every office that treats children. In my office, I use OraVerse when I have finished prepping the tooth so that the reversal is beginning to take place as we finish the appointment. By using this technique, most of my patients leave the office without the unwanted aftereffects of anesthesia. OraVerse is all about time.

Order from your dealer or visit www.oraverse.com for more information on this new product.

VITA Easyshade® Compact
from Vident

Is there a harder concept to grasp than “shade” in dentistry? I don’t think so. Did you consider value, chroma,

and hue? Did you consider the light source under which the shade was taken, and the light source that will be used to reproduce that shade in the dental lab? Today there are all kinds of shade guides, even electronic ones that give too much information. Do you remember the name VITA and the 16 classical shades that the company introduced some 50 years ago? Now there’s an even faster, easier way to measure accurate shades, regardless of differences in color perception. The VITA Easyshade® Compact incorporates multiple color spectrophotometers at varying angles for the measurement of accurate shades. In my career in dentistry, I have lost many hours of productive time due to inaccurate shades. With this product, the whole process has been simplified. I no longer have to rely on my eye to give me the right porcelain shade. The VITA Easyshade® Compact measures a precise shade instantly and prescribes the best VITA shade under any lighting condition. It gives you the ability to conquer the trickiest shade challenges daily, both instantly and accurately. You can measure natural teeth, check restoration shades, and track the bleaching progress with the push of a button. VITA Easyshade has an onboard calibration block for consistent accuracy assurance, and a rechargeable battery that holds a charge for a full week of typical use. Measure a single, central check crown accuracy before seating, or get a more detailed shade analysis with a detailed map. It is available with Easyshade Compact. With a built-in memory that stores the last 25 measurements, you do not have to worry about forgetting the result. Every office should have one!

To order, call Patterson Dental at (800) 873-7683 or visit www.easyshadecompact.com for more information.

To have Dr. Joe Blaes present his lecture, “Pearls For Your Practice®,” for your study group or dental society, please call (866) 274-4500.