Three items you have to have

John W. Farah, DDS, PhD

The editors of THE DENTAL ADVISORtrademark proudly introduce the first monthly "Shared Secrets" column. Each month, we will feature dental products and equipment that have received top ratings in THE DENTAL ADVISORtrademark. Take your practice to the next level with the help of our "Shared Secrets."

Pentamix 2
ESPE America
(800) 344-8235
+++++/98%, Vol. 17-6

This unit is a redesign of the original Pentamix, providing faster mixing of polyether, additional silicone (PVS), and alginate impression materials.

Pentamix 2 is a reliable unit that provides an excellent mix and can be integrated easily into a busy dental office.

Polybags of impression materials slip neatly into color-coded cartridges for easy loading into the unit. The wide variety of ESPE impression materials is well-suited for different clinical procedures. Assistants find the system fast and simple to use with minimal clean-up. With this system, just the right amount of material can be expressed with little to no waste.

3M Imprint II Quick Step
3M Dental
(800) 634-2249
++++1/2/92%, Vol. 17-6

This is a fast-setting addition silicone (PVS) impression material, ideal for use in one- to two-unit cases.

The automix cartridges are available in heavy-, regular-, and light-body consistencies. Intraoral setting time is just 2 minutes, 30 seconds after insertion in the mouth. The rigidity of the set material makes it suitable for use with a dual-arch tray.

Aquasafe Dental Waterline
Filtration System
Pall Medical
(888) 676-7255
++++1/2/93%, Vol. 17-6

The water quality exiting from dental unit waterlines is increasingly being seen as a problem. Patients and dental practitioners can be exposed to bacterial contamination in water and aerosols that present potential risks. Aquasafe is a reusable, in-line filter housing that can be retrofitted to any existing dental waterline connected to an air/water syringe, handpiece, or ultrasonic scaler.

The disposable filters remove debris, bacteria, and endotoxins. The lightweight housing has a neat appearance and attaches on the tubing close to the handpiece. Bacterial testing revealed a 97 to 99 percent reduction in bacterial counts with the filter in place. The ADA recommends bacteria levels of less than 200 cfu/ml. The standard Aquasafe filter reduces counts to less than 40 cfu/ml, and the high-performance filter reduces counts to less than 10 cfu/ml.

Note: For information on the "Shared Secrets" lecture seminars or to subscribe, contact THE DENTAL ADVISORtrademark, 3100 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, by phone at (800) 347-1330, by e-mail at [email protected], or through www.dentaladvisor.com.