From footings to finishes

by Dr. Joe Blaes

Foundation™by J. Morita - While attending the California Dental Association meeting in Anaheim in May, the best new product I saw was Foundation. I have since had a chance to try it and found it to be a great and innovative product for stimulating new bone growth.

Foundation™by J. Morita

For 20 years I have preached that the general dentist should be in charge of the alveolar bone augmentation of an extraction site to ensure a proper pontic site for restorative dentistry. Most specialists do not take the time to augment bone. We should be doing our own extractions and be in charge of ensuring a good pontic site. J. Morita has made this job simple with a collagen-based bone augmentation material called Foundation. Following an atraumatic extraction, the extraction site is curetted to remove bone debris and infection and promote bleeding. Excess blood should be wiped from the socket. A slightly larger size of Foundation (it’s available in small and medium) should be selected and placed on a sterile gauze sponge. The collagen plug should be kept between the gauze and manipulated until the shape mimics the root (socket) shape. Then the plug can be gently inserted into the socket, and gently condensed with the back end of a dental instrument and excess material trimmed. The buccal and palatal plates of bone should be gently compressed between the thumb and finger.

The extraction site is now ready for passive suturing not meant to close the wound. (Believe me, it takes longer to read this than it does to do it.) As the extraction site heals, it fills with new augmented bone. Foundation stimulates new bone growth at an accelerated pace with a new proprietary process. This means that implants may be placed sooner. Foundation is your answer to maintaining bone following any permanent extraction because it produces a rapid build-up of the patient’s own bone in the socket, resulting in an esthetic pontic site. Every dental office should have Foundation available for the next extraction.

To order or for more information, call (888) 566-7482. Visit www.dentaleconomics.com for a Web cast on Bone Grafting and Alveolar Ridge Preservation and receive one CE credit.

NX3 Nexus® Third Generation by Kerr- Nexus has been a favorite of mine since it first came out, and Kerr has improved it through the years. Nexus 2 got rid of the bothersome three-bottle adhesion system, and now NX3 brings more innovations with a new universal adhesive resin cement. The material is universally indicated for all indirect situations, including veneers. NX3 is a permanent resin cement system with the colors we need for esthetic dentistry.

NX3 Nexus® Third Generation by Kerr

A choice of delivery methods is new to this system. These choices include an automix syringe for dual-cure indications and a light-cure cement for those times when unlimited work time is needed. NX3 works with self-etch and total-etch adhesives, and a dual-cure activator is no longer necessary. High bond strengths are obtained with both light-cured or dual-cured cements. The cement will adhere to dentin, enamel, CAD/CAM blocks, ceramic, porcelain, and metal.

Another innovation with NX3 is the proprietary amine-free initiator system that makes it color stable. Now you can have a truly universal cement that works in all situations including restorations that need an esthetic cement. NX3 comes in five shades, including clear and bleach, and has try-in pastes for both dual-cure and light-cure. Order from your dealer or visit www.kerrdental.com/index/kerr dental-products-cements-nx3 for more information.

White Towel Services-Nothing says luxury like a steaming, gently scented 100 percent cotton towel. White Towel Services supplies pre-moistened, individually wrapped, single-use cotton towels that provide refreshing and soothing comfort that is sure to please and impress your patients. The infused essential oils provide the added benefit of aromatherapy. Serve the towels steaming hot or refreshingly ice cold to offer that WOW! experience to your patients. These single-use cotton towels mean no hassle and no worries with laundry. They are available unscented or individually scented. White Towel Services also supplies superior towel warmers. The exclusive WTS brand warmers require no maintenance, no adding water, and no adjusting buttons or knobs. Just load the warmer with the number of towels needed for the day, turn it on, and you’re ready to serve steaming hot, soothing towels all day long. Make your customer service remarkable by offering a touch of class. Visit WTS online to order or for more information at www.whitetowelservices.com or call them toll free at (866) 938-8693. You can also purchase this high-quality product through a select list of distributors that include Darby Dental, Sullivan-Schein, and Patterson Office Supplies.

Lasting Touch™ Nano-Technology Liquid Polish by Dentsply Caulk - Here is another polish to seal and make any composite restoration look even better. This new paint-on polish adds a smooth, shiny appearance to composites. Caulk claims that Nanotechnology gives this product high wear and stain resistance. It stays in place - without flaking or chipping - for months.