Dentsply Caulk Provides a Full Range of Adhesives for Clinical Success
At DENTSPLY Caulk, product development often begins with “defining thevoice of the customer.” In determining what dentists want and need, it’s important to define the issues in their words, to clarify any nuances and optimize product direction. “New products are the key to our continued and expanded success with dental professionals,” says Michael Smith, Brand Manager. “We want to make our customers more successful.”
The company offers a full range of adhesives to meet dentists’ preferences—from the 4th generation ProBOND® to the 7th generation Xeno® IV. “Every possible two-bottle, one-bottle, total-etch, self-etch is available,” Smith says. “At Caulk, we believe that dental professionals should use the adhesive that best fits their individual practice style and patient needs. In our view, there really isn’t one ‘best’ adhesive for all—that’s why we offer the complete range of bonding generations.”
Smith focuses his discussion on the three DENTSPLY products that are most popular with dentists: Prime & Bond® NT™, the one-bottle total-etch favorite; XP BOND™, a newer, technique-tolerant one-bottle total-etch; and Xeno IV, a very strong, popular one-bottle self-etch adhesive.
Prime & Bond NT, with more than 10 years of clinical success, is extremely popular and a standard in the market. Like all Caulk adhesives, it contains PENTA (dipentaerythritol penta acrylate monophosphate), a resin invented at Caulk that promotes exceptional bonding to tooth structure. It also includes an acetone solvent that chases the water out of preparations very well.
Regarding XP BOND, “some key opinion leaders have called it the first really new total-etch adhesive in 10 years,” Smith says. With its proprietary new alcohol solvent (t-butynol) and other essential components, XP BOND provides a wide wet-to-dry preparation tolerance. “It helps solve one of the key problems in total-etch adhesives—how dry is too dry? The wide wet-to-dry prep tolerance helps minimize chances of postoperative sensitivity from overdrying.” Smith also notes that the handling characteristics of XP BOND are designed for success—it is easy to see and gives even coverage.
Xeno IV is a self-etch adhesive that provides the simplicity of a one-bottle system and has virtually no postoperative sensitivity. “Independent top rating agencies have rated Xeno IV as having the highest dual cure capability, allowing a very broad range of indications,” Smith says.
DENTSPLY is known for its active clinical education, with more than 150 continuing education (CE) courses scheduled per year across the US at a mix of university and private settings. These programs often feature prominent key opinion leaders from dentistry, who are masters at educating practicing dentists and sharing the latest in techniques and approaches with clinicians. In addition, the company’s internal clinical staff includes dentists who practice and teach at the dental schools, and these individuals help supplement the CE effort. “Of course, we have online clinical education and self-study CE courses available, as well,” Smith says. “There is good demand for online courses, especially with the younger dentists.”
In summarizing the current discussion about the use of self-etch or total-etch, Smith says, “Often it all depends on which professional you’re speaking with. The important thing is to remember to put quotation marks around all those words that end with the letters er—stronger, better, etc. It really all depends on the specific needs of the dentist and the patient.” At Caulk, the work continues to provide superior products to meet these needs.
DENTSPLY Caulk
38 West Clarke Avenue, Milford, DE 19963
Phone: (800) 532-2855
Fax: (800) 788-4110
www.caulk.com
