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Over the last 20 years, we have seen improvements in temporary crown and bridge materials that have contributed greatly to our daily practices. The traditional powder and liquid acrylics have been surpassed by innovative materials that allow us to syringe provisional material directly into a bite registration, pre-made matrix or a pre-made crown. Among other positive clinical benefits, these new formulations generate less heat and less shrinkage and have been very well received by the profession.
Over the last 20 years, we have seen improvements in temporary crown and bridge materials that have contributed greatly to our daily practices. The traditional powder and liquid acrylics have been surpassed by innovative materials that allow us to syringe provisional material directly into a bite registration, pre-made matrix or a pre-made crown. Among other positive clinical benefits, these new formulations generate less heat and less shrinkage and have been very well received by the profession.
During this same 20 year period, however, most of the new materials in this product category have been bis-acrylics formulated from essentially the same chemistry, and consequently these products offer limited options and provide similar results. The question posed to our Catapult Group was whether Tuff-Temp provisional crown and bridge resin from Pulpdent offers dentists a product that is both unique and clinically beneficial.
Tuff-Temp uses a proprietary rubberized-urethane™ chemistry that is formulated by inserting a synthetic rubber molecule into a diurethane dimethacrylate molecule to produce a tough, impact resistant, dimensionally stable, tight fitting provisional restoration.
The benefits claimed by the manufacturer and presented to the group for evaluation were:
Findings from Catapult
Ninety-five percent of the reviewers responded favorably to Tuff-Temp, and here are the reasons:
1. The No. 1 benefit regarding physical properties was the fit with 60% of the group rating the fit excellent. There are just too many times when our preparations are not ideal, and as a result, retention becomes that much more important.
2. Another important property that received high marks was the material’s enhanced resistance to fracture. Comments regarding strength included: “better success with 2nd molars,” “less rigidity,” “fewer fractures,” “no chipping,” and “increased density.”
3. The dual cure option was found to be a key characteristic that would motivate more than 50% of the users to begin using the material. It’s truly a time saver!
4. The group was mixed on its trimming and polishability with some evaluators desiring a better polish.
5. Some members of the group felt the colors were not accurate with the VITA Shades.
6. The oxygen inhibition layer was thicker and a bit stickier than traditional formulations.
Takeaways with tips