Anna Sacks

When Avi Cohen, director of Global Dental at Stratasys, Ltd.,  and his team started working on the initial concept for 

, they knew they had a huge innovation on their hands.

Their goal was to serve a wide variety of industries while offering 3D printing and direct digital manufacturing solutions for prototyping manufacturing parts with high details resolution and fine surface finish. Today they consider themselves well positioned to address customer needs across the entire dental spectrum and they continue to work closely with laboratory customers to ensure their business growth.

Q: What were you hearing from labs that made you want to develop VeroDentPlus?

 The new material, VeroDentPlus, is the second-generation formulation of the popular VeroDent, an acrylic-based polymer. It was developed in response to customer feedback requesting a darker, more gypsum-like material. Consequently, it’s more opaque than VeroDent and offers higher resolution details. Like VeroDent, the VeroDentPlus has a low price point compared to other materials.

Q: What was the development process for this product?

 It was a long process, and actually it had started about a year after we had released the original VeroDent material. With continuous care for our dental customers, we have tried to learn from them what they would like to see in the next generation material and what properties it should carry. We have done various formulations and presented them to select dental customers until we got the final “Wow!”

See Stratasys' 3D printing solution in action:

Q: How is VeroDentPlus different from other 3D printing materials?

 The new material, VeroDentPlus, is compatible with all open intraoral, impression and plaster scanners and prints models for crowns, bridges, orthodontic appliances, and implant models. The printed dental models with this material are an excellent solution for direct, high quality, precision model production from major intraoral scanners.

Q: What feature of VeroDentPlus are you most proud of?

 The VeroDentPlus delivers extreme accuracy, economic benefits and offers the appearance of dental stone. On a personal level, although the material is intended for increasing production with extreme accurate, economical material to offer the appearance of dental stone-I am most proud of the look and feel of the VeroDentPlus.

Q: How do you feel VeroDentPlus will help the average lab with their workflow?

 There are a few factors that are critical for the average lab, among those you can find the accuracy, productivity and cost per case. The VeroDentPlus delivers all those benefits to all existing and new customers.

Q: How can labs make the leap into 3D printing?

 Digital dentistry is rapidly becoming the standard production tool for dental laboratories. Offering the ability to cut production times, increase efficiency and accuracy and enable new business growth, the benefits of digital production are clear. For dental lab owners and managers, choosing the right technologies to deliver the best return is not always so straightforward. As providers of state-of-the-art 3D printing systems for digital dentistry, Stratasys is committed to enabling dental labs to reap the maximum benefits from the digital dentistry era. By combining oral scanning, CAD/CAM design and 3D printing, dental labs can accurately and rapidly produce a range of dental and orthodontic appliances. 

For more information about VeroDentPlus, visit 

Articles

When Avi Cohen, director of Global Dental at Stratasys, Ltd.,  and his team started working on the initial concept for VeroDentPlus, they knew they had a huge innovation on their hands.

I Made That: Stratasys' VeroDentPlus 3D printing material

It's what every dentist hopes for: a practice full of excited patients who are fully engaged in their own care.  DPR recently spoke with 

 keeps his patients coming back for more.  

Nothing is more important to the success of any dental practice than happy patients. Any patient asking for teeth whitening expects truly white teeth - anything less will not impress the patient, and that’s bad for our business. I find that when patients get truly white teeth, they always become infatuated with their smile and notice any defects and become more conscious of their overall oral health, so they also accept my recommendations for treatment. I’ve tried virtually every whitening product under the sun, and before KöR Whitening, there just wasn’t anything that consistently created “wow” results and excited patients.  With KöR, I know every single patient  is going to be wildly excited about the results.N

What are KöR Whitening’s best features?

KöR is different than any other whitening system, but it’s very simple to use. The KöR Quickstart Guide walks you through the procedures, the KöR Reference Manual has all the information you could possibly need, while the DVD shows the simple step-by-step method. The cost of KöR is also extremely competitive. In fact, to get the same amount of product from one of the other whitening companies would cost me a lot more.

How has using this product benefited your practice?

KöR has been a huge boost for my practice. Now, I always start my patients out with KöR Whitening because I know that when they see the results they’ll be even more excited about necessary and optional treatment than they were when they first walked into my practice. The type of dentistry I do is really a lot of fun, especially when I can relax and enjoy it.  Now that I know my patients will gain enthusiasm instead of lose it, my stress is gone and I’m having so much fun treating my wonderful patients.

Check out the video below for another clinician's take on KöR Whitening

In your opinion, what are the biggest benefits?

First and foremost, it works.  And the patients don’t have much sensitivity like they do with other systems. In fact, most have no sensitivity whatsoever.

Why would you recommend this product to other dental professionals? 

Well, I actually have recommended KöR to many of my colleagues, and the feedback I get from them is just as enthusiastic as my own. I tell my friends KöR is simple to use, it’s extremely low in sensitivity, it’s priced very competitively, and patients are always absolutely ecstatic over the results every single time. For any dentist who comprehends the value of a practice full of excited patients, KöR is a no-brainer. 

The KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching System is said to ensure optimal whitening with the lowest sensitivity possible. KöR offers whitening systems for every situation and type of patient.

The KöR System is available as a nighttime or daytime at-home-only system, as well as the “full KöR System,” which is at-home whitening followed by in-office whitening. A special protocol for difficult cases, such as tetracycline, is also available. For more information about  KöR Whitening, head to Evolve Dental Technologies website at 

More whitening related articles you won't want to miss:

How to grow your whitening business and still avoid Bridezilla this wedding whitening season

Help recent graduates nail a job interview with cosmetic dentistry services

It's what every dentist hopes for: a practice full of excited patients who are fully engaged in their own care.  DPR recently spoke with Dr. L. Don Wilson of Signature Smile in Huntsville, Ala. to learn how KöR Whitening by Evolve Dental Technologies keeps his patients coming back for more.  

How to excite patients and boost business with a simple whitening system

 into the market.  Many features have been created and enhanced on the software since version 7.0 to make the system more efficient and user friendly. 

This improved version introduces users to new materials and applications on prosthetic solutions while allowing them to benefit from new and more efficient solutions. All these features work alongside the best parts of previous software versions like the original-on-original connection to Straumann implants.

In light of this exciting product, the DLP editorial team spoke to a pair of people who played key roles in developing 


	Straumann’s North America Laboratory Business Vice President Steve Sheehan said the basis of this project lies in the continuation of the Dental Wings software capability to allow for greater functionality.

“We are expecting that 8.0 will provide customers a more competitive product offering, as well as easier and faster access to our centralized milling capability,” he said.

This is achieved by first providing simple workflows, which allow the dental lab to work faster toward high quality and precise restorations. Then, the additions of three new solutions, CARES X-Stream™, CARES Variobase™, and zerion® HT zirconia for monolithic, full contour restorations took lab profitability and efficiency one step further.

“CARES X-Stream™ allows the dental lab to design a complete implant restoration from one scan, in one design step and get it delivered in one shipment,” said Hans Strobel,

Straumann’s Global Head of Product Management Systems and Services, BU Prosthetics. “This integration cuts two processes in one with all efforts on technician and administrative work divided by two.”

Another example of that increased efficacy is the zerion HT material, or full contour zirconia, which allows dental technicians to make monolithic restorations without layering porcelain.

“This makes the lives of dental technicians simpler and allows them to focus on activities which add value to their business,” Strobel said.


	CARES 8.0 offers greater flexibility of design with these new features than in previous versions as well.

“It allows users to create the entire Straumann customized product portfolio in one software platform, whereas previously our customers worked in two different platforms (6.2 and 7.0),” Sheehan said.

The motivation behind CARES 8.0 came from Straumann’s commitment to advancing digital technology as well as a response to the changing product needs of their customers. They wanted software that increased usability by remaining simple enough for technicians to use without being technology masterminds.

“The work processes for dental technicians change radically with digital technologies,” Strobel said. “However, there are many companies who promise fantastic digital workflows, which in practice require interface configuration and adaptations. Many dental technicians are not network or computer experts and they don’t need to be.”

To use CARES 8.0, users need an understanding of dentistry and a quality CAD/CAM system that will enable them to use their dental knowledge. Armed with those tools technicians can deliver reliable prosthetic products using the software.


	So far, Straumann customers have been able to understand the new software version as well as its improved features. But for the features that are more complicated, Straumann offers its customers training and education tools to allow them to use the program to its fullest extent.

“Since the new software is very powerful, it is also more complex,” Strobel said. “Here we see that many customers take advantage of the outstanding Straumann support structure for application or technical support but also our training and education programs.”

Since the new version was released it has received very positive feedback in regard to its functionality as well as its potential and possibilities.

“While it takes some time to be fully trained on the new functionality, we expect our customers will be extremely pleased with the advances we have made with the software, and our new products and design functionality,” Sheehan said.


	The new program version doesn’t just benefit users however; it benefits their patients equally.  Though it offers time and cost saving features, the biggest benefit to patients is an excellent fit thanks to the program’s pre-set parameters and algorithms. Whether it’s a full single-tooth prosthetic restoration, 3-unit bridge, crown, or screw-retained bridge and bar, this product guarantees a high quality and comfortable fit.

Overall, Straumann CARES 8.0 offers customers and technicians a user-friendly interface that is advantageous to both the user as well as the patient.

Labs benefit from higher efficiency and efficacy while serving their patients better than ever before. Both Strobel and Sheehan are proud to have provided customers with a product that helps them succeed and grow through the advanced technologies they’ve come to expect from a company like Straumann.
	 

In March 2013, Straumann® launched Straumann® CARES® System 8.0 into the market.  Many features have been created and enhanced on the software since version 7.0 to make the system more efficient and user friendly. 

Behind the optimal functionality and efficiency of Straumann® CARES® 8.0

Why one clinician loves DenMat's new SOL laser, and why you might want to incorporate it into your practice as well.

Patients see the SOL Laser as better technology

, and that’s satisfying for them. With an electrosurge or a scalpel you really have to consider the healing aspect, but it’s much faster when you’re using a quality diode laser. This device is the best when it comes to laser technology.

Why was the SOL™ Laser a good fit for your practice?

I was intrigued by the blue laser, and being able to see it with the aiming light on it. We do a lot of implants, and sometimes the healing caps aren’t snug and we have excess tissue to remove. It’s great for that. It just makes life easier than having to do the damage you would do with an electrosurge or a scalpel.

How has the SOL™Laser worked benefited your practice?

I think it’s a fantastic device. It cuts cleaner and it cuts faster than older laser platforms, so it’s really just much more efficient. We do a lot of contouring for cosmetics for 

 when we need to establish the proper heights of the tissue, and this allows us to do so.

In your opinion, what are the best aspects of this product?

Hands down it’s the blue aiming beam and its ease of use. I

t’s pre-programmed, easy to charge and lightweight,

 so they’ve succeeded in making it very versatile and portable.

What would you say are the main benefits of the SOL™ Laser?

I can’t praise the blue aiming beam enough. You are able to see exactly where you’re at with it, which makes it easy on tissue while remaining fast and cutting very cleanly and precisely. That allows you to do a lot less damage to the surrounding tissues.

If a colleague came to you and said they were looking into the SOL™ Laser for their practice, what would you tell him or her?

The biggest differences between this laser and other diode lasers are going to be the blue aiming beam, its affordability, its portability between operatories because it’s not cumbersome and overall ease of use. 

No one else on the market has a product like this

, that is lightweight and has features like the blue aiming beam.

How DenMat's new SOL laser can benefit your practice 

				Why one clinician loves DenMat's new SOL laser, and why you might want to incorporate it into your practice as well.			Written by: Dr. Louis Kaufman			DenMat SOL Laser			Date published: 07/03/2013			5 / 5 stars			

Don’t miss the opportunity to spend three inspirational and practice changing days with 10 of the top educators in the dental industry at the 2013 Destination Education. 

Product Review: How DenMat's new SOL laser can benefit your practice

 on the cover of Dental Products Report. Following the release, Product Manager Andrew Aradi shared some background about the product's development.

 What was the development process like for the SOL Laser?

 We took a look at the market, our existing laser and what our competitors were doing and we put that into our plan. Then we worked on different industrial designs and ran them by dentists to find the best look that also fit the need. We narrowed down the choices and revised what we liked keeping in mind what was going in the laser.

What has been the most enjoyable part of the creation process for you?

 Involving the dentists. We put out a lot of prototypes and we would do ergonomic testing with the handpiece, and the most enjoyable part is having the dentists be a part of that process because you can have the designers saying one thing is going to work, but without the dentists validating that you can never be too sure.

 Is there a specific aspect of this product that you are particularly proud of?

 First is the price-we’ve made it affordable for every office. Second is the blue aiming beam. Other diode lasers on the market use a red beam, but the 

 uses a blue beam that’s easier to see, especially when used in the periodontal pocket or cutting through blood. We tried different colors and it was unanimous, every person that evaluated it liked the blue beam.

 Have there been any changes to the product since its launch?

 We’ve added a periodontal tip, which is thinner and longer. We got a lot of feedback from people wanting a thinner tip that would fit in your pocket and work better when treating periodontal disease. We also changed the name of one of the presets from “Sterile” to “Debride.” It made more sense to clearly label the preset for sulcular debridement procedures.

 The feedback has been fantastic. The blue beam is the first thing that sticks out; a lot of people recognize that it’s a unique feature that no one else has. Then the price. People are happy to pay $2,500 for a laser that would have cost them $10,000 just a few years ago.

talks to DPR at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting about Denmat's newest laser, the SOL Portable Diode Laser.

			An interview with Product Manager Andrew Aradi about developing the popular dental laser.			SOL™			Manufactured by: DenMat			 			

Earlier this year DenMat launched its SOL diode laser on the cover of Dental Products Report. Following the release, Product Manager Andrew Aradi shared some background about the product's development.

A peek behind the scenes at how DenMat's SOL Laser was developed

One clinician’s view on this customizable method to fit the needs of individual patients who are working to battle biofilm.

As a periodontist of 43 years I’m naturally leery. I started using this product in 2007 after I’d caught wind of it through various journals. I thought it might have some potential because it’s got a good scientific basis to it, so I decided to give it a try. Now, I think this tool is as powerful as the toothbrush, and I think in a generation, trays are going to change the face of dentistry.

In the five years you’ve used PerioProtect, how has it worked out for you?

is a fabulous product. I mean it’s not a cure-all but it is probably the strongest tool I use in the maintenance portion of my practice. As I’ve used it, my use has evolved. When I first began to use it I limited it to those maintenance patients that I thought were failing, you know, excessive bleeding, poor home care, lack of compliance.  

As time has gone by I’ve changed to the point where it’s now an alternative to strict two or three-month recall and it frees up the patient a considerable amount in milder cases. I’m even beginning to use it now as a way to minimize the amount of periodontal surgery I do.
	
	

What was the process of incorporating the PerioProtect Method into your practice like?


	
	I thought it went smoothly enough. It took some education on my part because at the time my staff was not familiar with taking impressions or pouring stone.  Once I determined that this was a product I was going to go with and continue to use, it was about a six-month process to get it incorporated. Up until then I had been doing all of these things myself, so I broke out of my normal periodontal routine and trained my staff, and after about a year things smoothed out.

Now my staff is very enthusiastic about it and my hygienists are comfortable spotting the patients they think it would help as well as explaining it to them. I keep the 

website on my business card so we can refer patients to it and let them get an idea of what we’re talking about, and I think that’s been a useful tool.

Interested in learning about 3D Imaging? Check out this upcoming event.

What kind of changes have you observed since integrating this product?

It has minimized the amount of surgery I have to do, and quite frankly as a periodontist that has made my life quite a bit easier. It’s a whole lot easier to tell a patient I have three teeth I need to fix instead of when I was a young dentist and none of the medications were available. Back then I was doing full mouth surgery after full mouth surgery. It’s been a very powerful tool. I can’t say enough

What would you say is its biggest benefit?

There many features that are hugely beneficial--maintenance, minimizing surgery, geriatrics--but the absolute biggest benefit without a doubt in my mind is it’s one of the few tools that helps with controlling bleeding.  Over the last 20 years disease after disease has been found to be associated with periodontal disease and the bleeding and inflammation periodontal disease causes. I think there’s a tremendous health benefit associated with Perio Trays .

Why would you recommend this product to a colleague?

It works and it always works well. It’s a wonderful product. It’s not a stand-alone product but if you combine it with the other routine things that are used with periodontal disease, it’s a tremendous tool.

 For more on PerioProtect, watch this video:

Review: How PerioProtect Method and Perio Trays are changing the way this clinician practices dentistry [VIDEO]

			One clinician’s view on this customizable method to fit the needs of individual patients who are working to battle biofilm.			Written by: Bruce Cochrane			PerioProtect Method and Perio Trays			Date published: 08/07/2013	5 / 5 stars

A clinician’s view of Caries Management By Risk Assessment, or CAMBRA, by CariFree and how it's benefited his patients and his practice.

Tooth decay is out of control and the dental industry is not okay with that.

That’s why knowing about- and implementing-Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) is critical.  Together, let us learn, deliberate, collaborate and come up with reasonable and helpful ideas and resources on how to take our practice of CAMBRA into the future.

As a group practice that provides comprehensive oral health care to several diverse communities, it is imperative that we help educate our patients in caries prevention as well as how the disease process occurs.

The single most effective tool in conveying this message has been implementing a multifaceted CAMBRA system in our office with the help of CariFree.  

When a patient arrives in our office, we use age appropriate CRA or Caries Risk Assessment forms. There is a form for patients that are 6 months to 2 years old, another form for those ages 3-5, and a third form 

The CRA form encompasses several questions such as dietary habits, oral hygiene, genetic predispositions, medications, and environmental factors. The staff will go over this with either the patient or the guardian then review it once again to ensure a thorough assessment has been made.

A CariFree swab is then taken on the lingual of the lower teeth and placed into a CariScreen Susceptibility Testing Meter. After 1 minute a number is shown on the screen that correlates to the amount of ATP bioluminescence, which identifies the oral bacterial load.

There is a direct relation between the bacterial load and risk of decay. Any number more than 1500 is considered high risk. This number is then entered onto the CRA form and a more accurate risk assessment can be made and shared with the patient and/or guardian. 

Patients respond positively to this visual information; the CRA form shows the “ATP Number” as well as if your risk is in the “red zone.”

Once the caries risk has been established we can manage that risk via oral hygiene, dietary counseling, as well as remineralization with products such as CTx.

The patients are given a variety of choices of products

 such as Xylitots, varnish, and sodium fluoride rinses, and are reassessed at their recalls to see if there is an improvement in lesion size, bacterial load, and overall CR (risk). 

The one obstacle we have seen is that some patients are hesitant to use the professional products, some prefer they buy an over the counter product and practice more vigilance with their home care.

Patients not complying? Check out this Morning Huddle video from Jameson Management for advice:

How CAMBRA by CariFree can improve caries risk assessment in your practice

			A clinician’s view of Caries Management By Risk Assessment, or CAMBRA, by CariFree and how it's benefited his patients and his practice.			Written by: Dr. Saam Zarrabi			Caries Management By Risk Assessment			Date published: 08/07/2013			5 / 5 stars

Product Review: How CAMBRA by CariFree can improve caries risk assessment in your practice

 is an invaluable instrument that Dr. Howard Glazer uses on a daily basis for nearly every patient he treats. Here's why he thinks you should, too. 

 for more than eight  years and the latest MX2 Pro for about 1.5 years

I use it routinely and it allows me to provide treatment faster and easier, making the patient experience better, quieter and more comfortable.

How did you incorporate this product into your practice?

The process is simple: buy it, have it installed and use it. If it stays in the box or on a shelf in a closet you will never use it. That said, it does cut differently and there is a small learning curve to using the electric handpiece versus the air-driven handpiece.

This can be easily overcome if you practice on extracted teeth to get a “feel” for how smooth and fast it cuts in a contiguous motion as opposed to the “on/off or feathering” motion of an air-driven handpiece.

What changes have you observed since integrating this product?

I can operate faster without sacrificing safety or quality. Patients like that the common “drill noise” has been reduced.

One motor allows me to do various dental procedures from operative to hygiene to rotary endodontics to crown and bridge. All these various procedures can be customized, stored and preset on the unit as I need. I can digitally dial from 100 to 200,000 rpms.

The instrument is lighter than others and ergonomically balanced to avoid fatigue with long procedures and/or repeated use.

How have patients responded to this product?

Patients like that it is quieter than a conventional air-driven handpiece and that it allows me to perform the procedure(s) in a faster and more efficient manner.

Why you would recommend this handpiece to a colleague?

 electric handpiece to colleagues because I would find it difficult to practice without having one.

My mantra in evaluating products, materials and equipment has always been: faster-easier- better (for the doctor and the ultimate end-user, the patient). The Bien-Air electric handpiece allows me to meet that mantra routinely in my practice. 

Check out Drs. John Flucke and Lou Graham discuss the pros and cons between electric and air-driven handpieces in this episode of DPR Product Review:

How the Bien-Air Optima MX2 INT can improve the patient experience in your practice

				The Bien-Air Optima MX2 INT is an invaluable instrument that Dr. Howard Glazer uses on a daily basis for nearly every patient he treats. Here's why he thinks you should, too.			Written by: Dr. Howard Glazer			Bien-Air Optima MX2 INT 			Date published: 07/10/2013			5 / 5 stars

The Bien-Air Optima MX2 INT is an invaluable instrument that Dr. Howard Glazer uses on a daily basis for nearly every patient he treats. Here's why he thinks you should, too. 

Product Review: How the Bien-Air Optima MX2 INT can improve the patient experience in your practice

One clinician’s view of the A-dec 500 Chair System with the EA-52 LED electric motor handpiece.

 because I have everything I need at my fingertips without having to have messy cables and cords from all of the various instruments we require. I can’t tell you how easy it is to use and how happy I am to make the most of my equipment.

Just because you buy it doesn’t mean you’ll use it. If it’s too clunky, time consuming or hard to maintain, you stop using it. I definitely use what I purchased (from A-dec)because it’s so easy to use.

I started using the product when I opened my office in March of 2008.

Why was this product a good fit for your needs?

I wanted to create an efficient, state-of-the-art facility in which staff and patients could appreciate our services and the methods and equipment that help us achieve this goal. I thought this product met that criteria.

I know there is a difference in my delivery of care and I can confidently tell patients that I can treat them more comfortably, quickly and with better accuracy.

What was the process of incorporating this product like?

Incorporating the product was easy because I built the office new. A-dec allowed me to configure whatever I wanted in my delivery system to meet the needs of different rooms. When changes have to be made, it’s pretty easy to rearrange the position and settings of the whole operatory equipment set up.

I have multiple hygienists and doctors working at our office and all of them found the systems to work for them. 

Efficiency is really important when you are trying to keep the price of doing dentistry low for everyone

What are the best aspects of this product?

The chairs are soft, quiet and beautiful. The delivery system is easy to clean, adaptive to patient and provider. The handpiece is quiet, provides incredible visualization and consistently preps teeth at the desired setting.

Although this equipment may cost more initially, it makes our jobs easier. 

 can prep teeth faster than air-driven counterparts and they really don’t sound as whiny, either.

What has the response to this product been from patients and staff?

Our patients and our staff frequently tell me how much better our office looks and feels compared to their previous office. I think they can tell that, by making their experience more comfortable, we care about them.

I would definitely recommend the product to others because you can’t beat the comfort and efficiency that it provides. 

Want more great advice? Check out this video from A-dec!

How the A-dec 500 Chair System with the EA-52 LED electric motor handpiece can make your practice more efficient

			One clinician’s view of the A-dec 500 Chair System with the EA-52 LED electric motor handpiece.			Written by: Dr. Monica Lee			A-dec 500 Chair System 			Date published: 07/12/2013	5 / 5 stars

Product Review: How the A-dec 500 Chair System with the EA-52 LED electric motor handpiece can make your practice more efficient

Lyn Chau, SDI’s Scientific Affairs Manager, tells us about the development process behind Riva Bond LC and what this adhesive can do for your practice.

At DPR, we love to go behind the scenes of product development. Here we take a look at the idea behind 

SDI’s Riva Bond LC universal light cured adhesive for direct restorations

 and what this product means for your patients and your practice.

Q: Where did the idea for Riva Bond LC come from?

 After the launch of our company’s seventh generation adhesive system, Go! in 2010, I asked myself, “What’s next in dentin bonding?” The all-in-one systems are already the simplest system to use, therefore, “Do we just stop here? Or have we missed something?” We needed something that current bonding systems on the market do not have.

As the Scientific Affairs Manager for SDI, looking for ideas for new products is part of my role and I enthusiastically took on this challenging search. A few consultants pointed out that 

 should look at extending the life of composite restorations, which is shorter than amalgam fillings due to the interfacial stresses developed during polymerization of the restorative material.

Polymerization contraction stresses are considered to be primary factors leading to the loss of bonding integrity, and it would be great to have a bonding system that can counter this stress at the bonding interface.

Q: What was the development process like?

 Joshua Cheetham leads the R&D Team at SDI and his team was responsible for the development of Riva Bond LC. The group, together with glass ionomer development scientists, glass material scientists and polymer chemists, formed the initial design for Riva Bond LC.

They took on this challenge in 2008 and the biggest struggle was to find the ideal formula that achieved adequate bond strength, expanded enough to compensate for the shrinkage stress caused by composites, but not so much that it would be detrimental to the bond over time. Success came in 2011, when a range of formulations showed adequate expansion to compensate for the shrinkage of composites while maintaining reasonable bond strength.

An independent preliminary contraction stress study of this design concluded that there was a significant difference in contraction stress between Riva Bond LC and a typical resin based adhesive on the market.

Q: What advancements in adhesive technology influenced Riva Bond LC?

 The introduction of the all-in-one, seventh generation, self-etching adhesives influenced 

. It pushed our developing team toward a different angle of thought for adhesion, which focused on helping the restoration to cope with the shrinkage stress caused by all composites.

Q: What are the key features you are most proud of?

 The ability of Riva Bond LC to absorb the interfacial stress was the most important feature to ensure composite restorations last longer. More and more patients are requesting esthetic restorations; however, one of the common complaints is “My silver filling lasted forever and my white filling needs to be replaced after only a few years!”

We were excited to be able to develop a product that meets all the criteria of an ideal bonding agent, and for the first time reduce the shrinkage stress of the composite.

Q: In what ways will this product make a dentist’s life better?

. Like any caring health care provider, the patient’s well-being is the practitioner’s top priority. In the current global financial climate, there is an increase demand for direct restorations, with patients demanding to get more life out of their white fillings.