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FiteBac Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser from FiteBac Dental provides this clinician an added level of protection.
It says so right on the website for David Kurtzman, DDS: We specialize in patients who need special care. The Marietta, Georgia, dentist is highly skilled and experienced in providing top-quality, personalized care for patients who have dental fear or anxiety, as well as those with disabilities or special medical needs.
With this in mind, Dr Kurtzman is always looking for products and procedures that can provide extra assistance to patients who need it most. This is why he is so excited about the potential results delivered by using FiteBac Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser.
This is the first FDA-cleared dental cavity cleanser shown to reduce dentally relevant microbes, allowing dental professionals to not only remove debris from carious lesion prep sites but also address microbial presence during the restoration process.
“I’ve been waiting patiently to see this product come around,” says Dr Kurtzman, who first learned of the product’s development about 2 years ago from a fellow clinician who refers patients to his practice. “That’s why I’m so excited. I got my first batch just a few weeks ago and I’ve been using it under all my composites. I use it as a wetting agent and cleaning agent. I read the papers and the science behind it and this all has me really excited.”
Bacteria can accumulate beneath restorations, and that can lead to additional decay and eventual restoration failure. Bacteria also can be left behind during the restoration process or it can penetrate gaps in restoration materials over time.
FiteBac® Cavity Cleanser
FiteBac Cavity Cleanser, a 2% K21 QAS aqueous ethanolic solution, is intended for use to remove debris in carious lesion preparations. Published research has shown it reduces dentally relevant organisms and penetrates exposed dentinal tubules which allows restorative adhesives to tightly bind to the prepared dentin surface.
These microbes may form biofilms resulting in additional damage to the tooth structure adjacent to the restoration. FiteBac Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser is beneficial because it allows the dentist to directly address that microbial contamination.
“So in this case, the more [protection] the merrier, and FiteBac provides another layer of protection,” Dr Kurtzman says. “It’s pretty innovative. There aren’t really a lot of products that were designed just to do this.”
Results
With a new product like this, that can directly, aggressively address one of the known contributors to restoration failure, positive long-term performance is highly anticipated.
“I would encourage other clinicians to read the studies and try the product. It can only make our restorations better,” Dr Kurtzman says. “They should also be excited about the technology’s potential for other applications such as endodontics.”
“At this point, as with most dental products, we’ve relied on studies and scientific papers to tell the truth,” he says. “This cavity cleanser is backed by papers and studies that show it can not only be used as a traditional cavity cleanser to remove debris but it can also be used to reduce microbial contamination within the restoration site.”
Featuring K21 QAS, which consists of 4 Silane Quaternary Ammonium structures covalently linked to a silane core, the product offers antimicrobial properties to provide protection from the time of application.
“Something like this is truly revolutionary and helpful,” the dentist of 38 years adds, “especially in my practice for patients with disabilities whose home care may be limited. I use it because it’s really promising.”
FiteBac Dental has plans to use the same FiteBac® Antimicrobial Technology in additional products such as bonding agents and endodontic materials, both of which Dr Kurtzman is excited to add to his armamentarium.
“This is a great development and it has other very useful potential applications,” he says. “This product, with its benefits, is a great thing.”
Download Issue: Dental Products Report January 2021
