Anna Blake

As a practitioner in rural Pennsylvania running a dual-purpose dental practice that offers both comprehensive cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry, it’s imperative that Dr. Zach Sisler has a reliable product on hand that he can use for all cases. And while he learned an assortment of different cleaning techniques for restorations while in dental school at West Virginia University, he’s found that in the 10 years since graduating, he reaches for one cleansing product exclusively, Ivoclar Vivadent’s Ivoclean.

	Dr. Sisler actually uses a range of Ivoclar Vivadent products because he knows he can rely on them to provide predictable results that are esthetically pleasing. However, for him, Ivoclean in particular is unmatched and irreplaceable in his practice.

	“I graduated in 2010, and that’s kind of when zirconia crowns and all porcelain restorations were really hitting great stride and taking a competitive share of the marketplace, and that’s when Ivoclar really got on my radar,” he says. “The Ivoclar products were new to me as I was coming out of school, however, they were kind of the latest and the greatest, so that’s what we started using and we kind of haven’t turned back since.”

	Ivoclean, a universal cleaning paste used to clean the surface of a restoration after it’s been tried in the mouth and contaminated with saliva, is one product Dr. Sisler uses on a daily basis.

	Born out of initial issues with the bonding of zirconia and porcelain restorations that resulted in loose or lost restorations, Ivoclean was created when researchers figured out the try-in phase of the procedure was what created a contaminated environment. This contamination could later compromise the bond and hold of a restoration. Today, Dr. Sisler believes the results have yet to be matched with the same ease and simplicity offered by Ivoclean. 

	“Any time I put a single unit crown in all the way up to a full mouth rehabilitation, we’re using Ivoclean on the ceramics prior to going in the mouth,” he says. “That’s why we really like Ivoclar products, they make it all very systematic and their products really work well with one another. I can use Ivoclean for a simple, single crown that I’m doing on a general dentistry patient, all the way up to a 28-unit full mouth rehab that we’re doing on a specialty patient. It makes it simple for my staff and for my team to be able to know the product we’re using and the system that’s involved with that,” Dr. Sisler says.

	Regardless of the brand or type of dental cement he’s using, Dr. Sisler always uses Ivoclean to prepare the restoration surface. For him, the beauty of this product is that after he’s tried a restoration in the mouth and it’s been contaminated he can easily place Ivoclean and it does its job of cleaning the surface by drawing the phosphates from saliva out of the restoration and into the product itself. In turn, this process creates an ideal surface for the cement to engage the crown as well as adhere to the tooth. 

	“Honestly, I don’t use anything else and I wouldn’t. I can’t even think of any ways I could suggest to make it better, it’s just that good. They make it so easy and user-friendly I don’t have any need to change what I’m using or ever switch to a different product,” Dr. Sisler says. “I’m putting this in the crown, I’m letting it sit for 20 seconds, then rinse and I’m done, compared to using something like acid etch gels in order to get the same results.” 

	Next to its consistent and dependable results, ease of use is one of the major draws to this Ivoclar Vivadent product for many practitioners. There’s no mess or rigorous clean-up with Ivoclean, just place, agitate, and rinse. For Dr. Sisler, the time and effort saved thanks to that ease is the key to its success and following within the dental community.

	“I just like this because it’s simple to use and it’s quick,” he says. “You have to clean the inside of the restoration out regardless, and I know there are other cleansing agents coming on the market trying to replicate Ivoclar’s product, but it’s going to take a lot for dentists to relinquish the predictability they’re getting with Ivoclean.

	Ivoclean is a universal cleaning paste designed to effectively clean the bonding surfaces of prosthetic restorations after intraoral try-in, creating optimum pre-requisites for the adhesive luting procedure. It’s designed to perform its action on all dental restorative materials, such as glass, zirconium oxide, and aluminum oxide ceramics. Ivoclean is said to be easy to apply to the bonding surface, and reacts for 20 seconds.

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Ivoclean from Ivoclar Vivadent decontaminates bonding surfaces after intraoral try-in

A universal cleaning paste suitable for all materials

As a dental practitioner for more than 25 years, and an expert on restorative and esthetic dentistry, Dr. Troy Schmedding has been using Kuraray Noritake products over much of his career. Most recently, he’s started utilizing PANAVIA SA Cement Universal in his California practice.

	PANAVIA SA Cement Universal is a new product from Kuraray Noritake that eliminates the need for separate primers or silane coupling agents. Instead, it utilizes dual monomer technology to take the guesswork out of cementing many types of ceramics-based restorations. Thanks to MDP and LCSi monomer technology, PANAVIA SA is an easy-to-apply, soft tissue-friendly self-adhesive resin cement that adheres to any material. For Dr. Schmedding, the product’s value lies in its ability to make his job easier and lighten the load as a clinician.

	Current technology in resin cements and ceramic bonding

	Most of the restorations Dr. Schmedding used in the past were ceramic-based. Those ceramics come in two different forms-glass ceramic, and zirconia ceramic, a non-silica and non-glass-based material.

	According to Dr. Schmedding, there is confusion around conditioning these materials prior to a bonding protocol or cementing with a resin-based cement. In short, a glass-ceramic cement was treated entirely differently than zirconia-based materials. With Kuraray Noritake’s PANAVIA SA, there is no more confusion because this material removes all guesswork.
	
	“What’s so unique about PANAVIA SA Cement Universal is its dual-monomer technology in the dual-barrel syringe. The silane is stable and not activated until you mix it. This is a great advantage for bonding glass-ceramics,” he says. “Within those syringes are two very important new monomers, one being a silane based monomer that Kuraray Noritake created, and also the original MDP-based monomer. So no matter which way you’re going or what material you’re utilizing to cement, you have a product that will work on both of those avenues because it has a monomer for both sides of adhesion. That means you no longer need a priming agent for any of the ceramic materials in dentistry today.”

	“Ultimately, it takes away the scenario of figuring out how you’re going to condition your ceramic because no matter what material you’re going to use in a ceramic-based world, you will only have to use the PANAVIA SA Cement Universal,” he says.

	In Dr. Schmedding’s experience, generally he needed to add a primer or conditioner to the ceramic-based cements he was using. There were a number of added steps in understanding the material he was working with in relation to the substrate or crown material he was utilizing.
	
	“The new, universal cement has taken that thought process out of the equation,” he says. “Essentially, you know that PANAVIA SA is going to be able to adhere in relation to a glass-ceramic or a zirconia-based product. Ease of use is a big plus with this product thanks to the dual monomer technology, which eliminates the need for different primers.”

	“The results I’ve seen with PANAVIA SA versus materials I’ve used in the past fare favorably in the sense that generally, what we’re looking at is clean up being a big issue in dealing with resin-based cements. With this product, a simple cure of three to five seconds, and I find it will peel off very easily from the margins and removal seems to be very efficient,” shares Dr. Schmedding. “It’s really revolutionized a lot of adhesion-based dentistry and Kuraray Noritake has always kind of been the leader in adhesion.”

	Building on the success of the PANAVIA SA Cement Plus, the PANAVIA SA Cement Universal offers the same wide range of indications for adhesion and is designed to be suitable for crowns/bridges, inlays/onlays, posts, and adhesion bridges. This self-adhesive resin cement contains a dual-monomer technology that adheres to virtually every material without the need for a primer. This cement is available in both automix and handmix.

How Kuraray’s PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal lightens the workload for one clinician.

PANAVIA SA is a dual monomer cement that eliminates the guesswork

	OMNICHROMA, the innovative dental composite from Tokuyama Dental that utilizes color-matching technology via a single shade of composite, has been in the hands of a select few dental practitioners for about a year now. The consensus seems to be that OMNICHROMA is a game-changing, time-saving, consistent and efficient product.

	Dr. Howard Jensen is one of the practitioners whose practice partnered with Tokuyama Dental before the official launch of OMNICHROMA in February 2019 to provide initial feedback to the research and development team. Dr. Jensen, who lives in Washington state, has been in practice for almost 38 years and serves as an active member of the American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Academy of Osseointegration, Seattle King County Dental Society and Greater Eastside Study Club. Since his career began, Dr. Jensen has worked tirelessly to ensure that he continues his family legacy and has made his practice a well-respected and recognized office.

Related reading: How to match challenging shades of tooth color with OMNICHROMA

	Q: How can OMNICHROMA help your practice grow?

	A: “It gives improved and predictable results. With composite restorations, especially when you’re talking about composite restorations in the smile zone, we have had a number of different composites in the past that we’d use, and often we’d layer composites. With OMNICHROMA, there is less of that. There’s still a learning curve, but if we have a tooth that we’re basically just building facially, OMNICHROMA provides very predictable results. Even when you’re doing something like a Class IV restoration and there isn’t that supporting structure, there’s still a need for layering with the masking material at times, but it’s less so. It’s far more finite in its predictability because composite looks different on a tooth than it does on the shade guide. We’ve actually made custom shade guides with our different composites to see what the actual color of the composite is rather than what they say it is. But, when you put OMNICHROMA on the tooth, because the characteristics are so different from standard composites, you get a much more predictable aesthetic result. Also, patients like ‘cutting-edge’ technology that works, especially when it’s something they see and can observe because it’s something they know, but at the same time it’s something totally new in scope and how it approaches the color match. Patients can evaluate it themselves and see the difference within the procedure as well as the result.”

	Q: How does OMNICHROMA’s shade-matching capabilities make doctors more efficient?

	A: “With previous composites, we would evaluate the tooth color characteristics and match that with a color shade or a translucent shade. With OMNICHROMA, the composite draws the color from the tooth, so it’s a totally different approach to shade matching. Minutes saved to a practitioner means more than just time. It’s money going back into your business. Shaving off those minutes to shade match makes for more efficient dentistry.”

	Q: Does OMNICHROMA help to relieve mental stress, worry or pressure on the practitioner?

	A: “This is what I’ve been saying since we started using OMNICHROMA. I don’t find that I’m stressed because I really enjoy what I do and I enjoy sharing what I do, so when it comes to my stress or worry or pressure, I can’t speak to that. However, it really does just give an enhanced end result, so I end up having more time to talk to my patients and share more with them. Approaching the restoration KNOWING I don’t have to spend time making an educated guess on shade lets me focus on enjoying a more relaxed visit with my patient.”

	Q: How can OMNICHROMA reduce overhead costs for a practice?

	A: “To put it simply, it reduces and simplifies inventory by being a broad application composite. We don’t need nearly as many different types of composites, and we use OMNICHROMA just completely in the posterior. We do have a few shades on hand that we use to layer with OMNICHROMA to help with shade matching in the case of very difficult shades, and that’s something I’d like to see them continue to refine. Overall, it’s really allowed us to cut down on the amount of composite we have to keep in our inventory.”

	Q: How can OMNICHROMA aid in patient satisfaction?

A: “OMNICHROMA provides excellent esthetic results and the patients can see that. Thanks to the predictable outcomes, OMNICHROMA provides a more universal and simplistic application than what we’ve been using previously. In turn, it could definitely allow you to perform procedures more quickly, as there’s less layering needed, and with a broader application composite, it’s faster for everybody because you aren’t looking for your supplies or another composite. We know what’s available and that’s what we use, and that can allow for a faster, more predictable, and easier visit for the patient as well.”

	Q: Can OMNICHROMA’s one-shade capabilities enable doctors to focus on other aspects of the procedure that may need more time and attention?

	A: “With this composite, you never compromise time and attention because it gives predictable results and is very user-friendly with its handling characteristics. With other composites, their handling characteristics can be very different from product to product or even shade to shade. OMNICHROMA is easy to condense in the posterior, it’s easy to manipulate in the anterior and, if anything, that’s where I’ve really noticed that I like the consistency of the composite also.”

Trending article: How to avoid restorative Class II blues

	Q: How would you invest the time saved by using OMNICHROMA to help grow your practice?

	A: “I would invest that time in involving the patient in their care; that’s really important to me. I like to keep patients involved and I let them watch in mirrors if they would like. A product like OMNICHROMA gives me more time to explain to them what I am doing and why. I find that patients who are interested in seeing how things are done like to understand better and they’re more motivated to take care of their oral health. They understand more and they can ask questions. I hear all the time from patients that my practice name comes up in conversation because people know that we love what we do and we involve them in what we do. If you’re totally dissociated from that and you’re closing your eyes and checking out, that’s their choice, but I love when I can involve my patients, and products like this help us achieve that.”

	Q: Are innovative products like OMNICHROMA moving dentistry in a direction you’d like to see more growth in? If so, how?

	A: “Yes, it enables more conservative approaches to restorative care by improving esthetics and enabling conservation of natural tooth structure. We don’t have to cut down as much tooth structure, and with these changes we’ll see improved and more impressive dental consumables being incorporated into our practices. Increased bond strengths alone will enable us to achieve more simplicity in delivering care and to be more proactive in taking care of issues before a tooth is terribly weakened by decay or a restoration.”

	Q: How long have you been using OMNICHROMA and do you foresee it becoming your go-to restorative material?

	A: “We’ve been using OMNICHROMA for over a year. We evaluated it during a trial period in our office and it quickly became our go-to material. The handling characteristics and shade-matching capabilities have made it a very easy and predictable composite to use. I think Tokuyama is doing a great job on the innovative side and is leading a lot of the technology toward more conservative and complete care.”

Why one doctor enjoys using OMNICHROMA from Tokuyama Dental to produce enhanced end results. 

Creating improved, predictable results with OMNICHROMA

	James Chae, DDS, has been using Tokuyama Dental America products and composites within his practice for more than half of his 19-year career, so when he got his hands on OMNICHROMA, Tokuyama Dental’s newest resin composite featuring revolutionary shade-matching technology, he was thrilled to try it out before its official launch. He also jumped at the opportunity to provide feedback to a company whose products he’s stood by for almost a decade.

	Dr. Chae has been practicing dentistry since he graduated from the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry in 2000. Currently he practices general and cosmetic dentistry and owns his own private practice, Diamond Bar Dental Group, in Diamond Bar, California. He takes pride in his work and says he strives to ensure that the services he and his team provide are nothing short of excellent. He cares so much about the oral health of his patients and the general public that he shares his work on social media, where he makes himself available to answer the questions of more than 28,000 followers on Instagram alone.

Trending article: 3 tips for overcoming common challenges of shade matching

	When and how did you first hear about OMNICHROMA?

	I started using OMNICHROMA in June 2018, eight months before it was made available to the general public. Prior to that, I had been using Tokuyama Dental America products for the past nine years. Tokuyama Dental America reached out and provided me with the OMNICHROMA composite to try out and give my opinion and testimonial. It was a great honor as well as a nice surprise to see how this composite blends well to the tooth.

	Why did you choose OMNICHROMA for this patient case?

	This particular patient’s tooth was very yellow in shade. It would be harder to match the shade with another composite. Knowing this, I wanted to see how well OMNICHROMA could change and match the shade after light curing and how well it would blend to the tooth.â¨

	How did OMNICHROMA help you to achieve a better clinical outcome?

OMNICHROMA doesn’t stick to hand instruments. It has a good working time, and it’s not too soft and not too hard. The material can be easily placed on the cavity preparation with relatively small pits and grooves and sculpted with hand instruments. Furthermore, it’s easily finished and polished, resulting in a final restoration that looks very natural. However, the most important property of OMNICHROMA is the shade-matching ability after light curing.
	â¨Did you use any specific techniques in this case to help achieve superior results?

	I didn’t use any specific special technique to achieve superior results in this case. However, one technique that I did use for my composite restorations was to make a wide bevel on the cavity prep, create a clean and neat cavity prep, and ensure that all the cavity prepared surfaces were filled with the paste.

	Do you have any tips or tricks for other doctors using OMNICHROMA?

	One tip I would recommend would be to always make a clean and neat cavity preparation without leaving any superficial caries or stains that could interfere with OMNICHROMA’s shade-matching ability. OMNICHROMA BLOCKER is a supplementary material that can also help mask slight staining. Another tip would be to make sure to make a wide bevel on the enamel surface so that the composite can blend well to the existing enamel and dentin.

	How satisfied was the patient with the restoration?

	The patient was very happy with the results. As I do with each of my patients, I showed them their before and after photos of the case.

Read more: How OMNICHROMA is making dentists' lives easier

	How does OMNICHROMA compare to similar products in a case like this?

	OMNICHROMA is unique in that it blends well with any tooth shade-even shades that are challenging to match-but working with the product itself is similar to working with other composites, so there’s no need for anything extra or abnormal.

	Do you feel OMNICHROMA is a valuable tool to have at your disposal for a case like this? If so, why?

	OMNICHROMA is a very valuable tool to have due to its ability to match very challenging shades of tooth color. Having OMNICHROMA at our disposal makes restorations much less stressful for dentists when we’re trying to produce a final restoration that blends well to the tooth and make it look as natural as possible.

	What was your experience with other Tokuyama Dental America products prior to using OMNICHROMA?

	I’ve been using other, similar Tokuyama Dental America products for the past nine years, such as Estelite Sigma Quick and Bond Force. I’ve also used Tokuyama Universal Bond for the last year. Even more recently, I began using Estelite Universal Flow. All these products have enabled me to create great restorations that look very natural. Tokuyama Dental America products have allowed me to provide high-quality, natural-looking and long-lasting restorations for my patients. Honestly, I think Tokuyama Dental America products have made me a better clinician. As a result, I’m more confident to share my work on social media and to other dentists. I would highly recommend Tokuyama Dental America products to other dental professionals.

Learn how one dentist used this new resin composite to achieve superior results.