An Advanced Base and Liner Material
Ross W. Nash, DDS, on BISCO’s TheraBase®
After graduating with a bachelor of science degree in textile engineering from North Carolina State University and working for 4 years as a polymer and dye engineer in the textile industry, I decided to go to dental school and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry in 1978. I began my general practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at the time, there were many new esthetic materials that were being developed and brought to market. Due to my background in engineering, these cutting-edge materials that were backed by science really piqued my interest, so I decided to focus my practice on dental esthetics. It was also a time when the dental industry was intensely focused on education, and I began lecturing and teaching my peers while also learning from some of the profession's pioneers. In the early 1990s, I opened the Nash Institute for Dental Learning with my wife, Debra Engelhardt-Nash, who is a dental practice management lecturer and consultant. Since then, we've continued to run our general practice while teaching hands-on courses at the institute and lecturing at dental meetings.
Due to my interest in advanced materials, I know that when a well-respected company such as BISCO releases a new product, I'm going to want to try it in my practice. I began using TheraBase® earlier this year and have found that it has many of the qualities that I look for in a new material. TheraBase is a dual-cure, calcium and fluoride releasing, self-adhesive base/liner. In my experience, I have found that the real highlight of this product is its ability to release calcium and fluoride, which generates an alkaline pH1 and promotes pulp vitality.2 TheraBase contains 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP), so it is able to chemically bond to tooth structure. In addition, it is radiopaque to allow for effective identification on radiographs, which is a huge help during diagnosis and treatment planning.
At my practice, I have found TheraBase to be an ideal base material for both indirect restorations and direct composite restorations. In particular, the material works well as a base for crown buildups because it is self-adhesive and possesses excellent strength for restorative purposes. TheraBase's high flexural strength makes it stronger and more fracture resistant than other base materials,1 and its high compressive strength allows it to undergo greater shock and stress from occlusal forces without fracturing, which is a great feature in a restorative material.
When I'm performing a direct pulp capping procedure on a patient, I use BISCO's TheraCal LC®, a light-cure, resin-modified calcium silicate liner, first, followed by TheraBase. I know that using these two products together will help to make the procedure a success. I would highly recommend TheraBase as a base or liner material to any fellow clinicians who are looking for innovative material solutions that are backed by sound science.
1 Data on file.
2 Okabe T, Sakamoto M, Takeuchi H, Matsushima K. Effects of pH on mineralization ability of human dental pulp cells. J Endod.2006;32(3):198-201.
Key Takeaways
1. Self-adhesive: no bonding agents required, which saves time and money
2. High compressive strength: absorbs shock and stress from occlusal forces without fracturing
3. High degree of conversion: ensures enhanced physical properties
4. Dual-cure: material will fully cure, even in deep restorations where light cannot reach
Ross W. Nash, DDS
Private Practice
Huntersville, North Carolina
Manufacturer Information
Bisco Dental Products
bisco.com/therabase-/
800-247-3368
