An Easier-to-Deliver Glass Ionomer with Improved Bioactivity
December 1, 2018
Volume 14
,
Issue 12
,
December 2018
Page(s): p. 70
Some dentists avoid regularly using certain products that they know are successful because of factors that affect the efficiency of their protocols. For example,clinicians who prefer to use injectable restoratives may decide not to use glass ionomers because of capsule delivery. GC America has specifically addressed this issue by "reinventing" the delivery unit for its new GC Fuji® Automix LC resin-reinforced, light-cured, glass-ionomer restorative.
"A lot of thought went into the design of the delivery system," says G. Franklin Shull, DMD, of Palmetto Dental Associates in South Carolina. "The challenge with most glass ionomers is getting them where you need them and getting them to stay. With this small gun and a tip that rotates, you can really reach any angle-even in areas such as a Class II box. You can disperse it evenly, and that's a big advantage." Shull had an early opportunity to try out the new delivery system, and recently shared his observations with Inside Dentistry's Product Talk.
Resembling a mini impression material gun, this dispenser is ergonomic, designed for use by people with smaller hands, and requires less reach. The goal was to make it easier to deliver the restorative material exactly where it is needed.
Another advantage of GC Fuji Automix LC is that it does not allow the formation of air bubbles, which can be created with hand-mixed glass ionomers. Trapped air bubbles can weaken the final restoration. In addition,GC Fuji Automix LC is able to maintain high bond strength, even in the presence of salivary contamination.
"In the ideal world, we wouldn't have to worry about that," Shull explains. "But for those of us who've been in practice long enough, we're always fighting contamination. For example, in pediatric cases where your opening is limited or when you're trying to do a procedure more quickly, that's really important. A little bit of flexibility when it comes to contamination issues is a major advantage."
This material doesn't necessitate any etching of the enamel or dentin and doesn't require a primer or bonding agent, but it can be used in conjunction with GC America's Cavity Conditioner, which will increase the bond strength of the material to the tooth. The GC Fuji Automix LC has a smaller particle size that polishes well, and it releases more fluoride than many previously developed glass-ionomer resins.
Dentists regularly report finding recurrent cervical caries in the box form of Class II direct composite restorations, demonstrating the need for a product with greater fluoride release in the open sandwich technique, explains Shull. "When you have enamel in the proximal box margin, doing a direct composite is very predictable. However, once you run out of enamel, that's where a product like the GC Fuji Automix LC comes in. You can place it where you don't have enamel and be confident that the solubility is going to be very low-much lower than anything I've seen in a while-and you should be able to maintain that marginal seal."
Shull adds that he also prefers the glass ionomer when performing a closed sandwich technique, especially in the deep area where he is concerned about recurrent decay. "It's a great product to use in that situation. In addition, a large percentage of my practice is in geriatrics, so we're seeing xerostomia and cervical decay. This is a really nice product for Class V areas, in my opinion."
Another essential feature for an open sandwich technique is radiopacity. "Looking at radiographs of Class II composites over the years, I think we've all been challenged to figure out what could be a more transparent liner, which resembles decay," Shull says. "Having something radiopaque when working at the margin is very important, especially in an open sandwich technique where we have a margin that's not on enamel, and we're trying to see whether that margin is staying sealed. In these cases, the GC Fuji Automix LC is a great product to have-it's very opaque."
Board Member Bio
G. Franklin Shull, DMD, a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, is a faculty member in Palmetto Health Richland's Department of Dentistry and at the Medical College of Georgia's School of Dentistry and lectures throughout the country on esthetics, dental materials, and photography.
Notable Features
Bioactive material withhigh fluoride release that is rechargeable
Easy delivery withergonomic dispenser
High bond strength in the presence of saliva
Ideal for the restoration of primary teeth, Class III and V restorations, core build-ups, and as a base or liner under composite restorations
Excellent esthetics and polishability
Virtually no postoperative sensitivity
To hear more from Shull about the benefits of using GC Fuji Automix LC, check out the entire Product Talk interview online at:
www.insidedentistry.net/go/ product-talk-8
For more information, contact:
GC America
gcamerica.com
800-323-7063
