Clean and steady does it

Joe Blaes, DDS

Veneer Stabilizer instrument by Hu-Friedy. My good friend, Dr. Ross Nash from Charlotte, N.C., has developed an instrument that I cannot live without. The Veneer Stabilizer is a double-ended instrument. One end has a broad, serrated tip that fits the veneers perfectly and makes seating and holding veneers easy. I wish I had thought of it. The VENSTAB (curved) Stabilizer would be terrific by itself, but on the other end there is a very sharp, tiny scaler. It is perfect for removing those small amounts of cured resin cement along the contact points and at the gingival margins. In the past when I could not get floss through a contact, I would use a saw or some diamond floss to get through. No more! This scaler is great at getting a hold of and removing resin cement that I cannot even see. If you are doing veneers in your practice, go right to the phone and order a half-dozen of Hu-Friedy's Veneer Stabilizer instruments from your dealer. You will thank Ross for the idea and me for telling you about it every time you use it. Visit www.hufriedy.com for more information.

Lines DUWL cleaner and disinfectant by Zenith/Micrylium

Lines by Zenith/Micrylium. By now, either through journals, continuing- education courses, or the media, we all know that there exists serious bacterial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines, or DUWL. We also know that it is not the city water supply that is truly the culprit, it is specifically those yards of narrow plastic tubing that are found between the controls and the handpieces or air/water syringes in the dental treatment rooms that become the home of such substantive and prolific biofilms. The American Dental Association has recommended that all dentists provide treatment water with less than 200 Colony Forming Units, or CFUs, per milliliter by the year 2000. Are your waterlines OK? You switched to water bottles so you are safe now and don't need to worry. Are you sure? Extensive testing of more than 4,000 dental waterlines across North America showed that traditional dental offices with a city water supply will average 375,000 CFUs of bacteria per milliliter of water sample. Those who ventured into water-bottle systems and did not maintain them averaged 1,200,000 CFU/ml. Zenith Dental Products has signed a marketing agreement with the Micrylium Laboratories (Canada) to distribute their products in the United States. Lines is a disinfectant for cleaning waterline tubing. Micrylium has a unique company philosophy in bringing products into the infection-control market. First, do no harm to the people (us) using the product. By examining in fine detail the components that make up chemical disinfectants, they replaced dangerous chemicals with kinder, friendlier substances without compromising the overall effectiveness of the products. Newly developed, totally biodegradable surfactants provide maximum surface-wetting and cleansing. It is easy and quick to use. In the beginning, you will have to treat your lines daily for about two weeks. Then you'll be able to go to a weekly treatment that takes about two minutes per treatment room to complete. Lines will eliminate Pseudomonas aeruginosa to protect your patients and staff. It is non-corrosive, non-staining, and does not contain any designated toxic substances. Finally, a product that will keep your waterlines safe! Order from your dealer or visit www.zenithdental.com for more information.

Viroxyn by Quadex Pharmaceuticals. One of the hardest things to treat in the dental office is the common cold sore or fever blister. Many dentists have discovered a medication called Viroxyn that will provide rapid relief from the pain, itching, and burning commonly associated with these problems. In addition, it provides a rapid onset of healing. Most people do not know that so-called cold sores and fever blisters are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) that, if left untreated, can cause some nasty complications. The lesions are usually found outside the mouth on the lips and are very contagious, spreading usually through kissing, touching, or sharing cosmetics or facial towels. It is important to instruct your patients in the proper care when these lesions are present. Because it works so well, we recommend Viroxyn to all our patients. When properly applied, most patients will only require a single treatment. The clear, nearly invisible liquid is applied with a simple applicator that allows users to treat lesions without touching them with their fingers, thus reducing the potential for self-inoculation or spread of the virus to other parts of the body. It is really great to finally tell patients that they can treat these problems quickly and easily. For a wealth of information or to order, visit www.ColdSoreGone.com, or call (218) 722-0823 and ask for Dr. Ken Larson.

Kodak 8000 Digital Panoramic System by Eastman Kodak. For more than 100 years, Kodak has set the standard for film imaging and has become a name we can trust. Last year, Kodak shocked the world when they announced the purchase of PracticeWorks and Trophy Radiologie. This year, they have launched into digital dental imaging with a number of exciting products that will provide you with solutions that make it easier to diagnose your patients quickly and accurately so that you can communicate with them effectively and manage your practice efficiently. The first of these solutions is the Kodak 8000 Digital Panoramic System. This is an outstanding system that delivers clear, optimally exposed images in a matter of seconds. It is simple to use, and in no time, you will be making fast, accurate diagnoses and streamlining your workflow while improving your communications with both patients and colleagues. The 8000 takes "film quality" digital images including panoramic, segmented panoramic, TMJ, and maxillary sinus views without waiting. Images can be analyzed quickly with Kodak's image-processing software, and can be easily integrated into your practice-management software. This allows you to share them with colleagues, insurance companies, and others while saving time and money. Easy-to-follow steps make it fast and simple to set up the patient and image parameters, leaving you more time to interact with patients. The 8000 features a lower radiation exposure, so your staff and patients have a safer treatment environment. The pricing of the 8000 will surprise and delight you. The 8000 is your solution for top-quality panoramic images. To order, call (800) 944-6365 or visit www.kodak.com/go/dental for more information.