ACTIVA BioACTIVE-CEMENT: An Ion-releasing Luting Solution

After a lengthy and successful career in private practice, John C. Comisi, DDS, MAGD, now shares his extensive knowledge of dental materials and technology with students at the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), where he is associate professor and course director of the Operative Dentistry II Course. The course covers all aspects of composite dentistry and adhesive bonding, and Comisi relishes the opportunity to impart what he's learned over the past 35 years about the industry's advances.

"I have been interested in dental materials and the improvement of our restorative process for many years," he says. "As new products and techniques are researched and developed, we at MUSC continue to investigate the evidence and consider their incorporation into our formulary. What's exciting is that the materials available today can improve restorative procedures in ways only imagined in the past."

One such product that has caught Comisi's attention is ACTIVA BioACTIVE-CEMENT from Pulpdent, a dual-cure and moisture-friendly dental cement that can be used for the cementation of all types of crown and bridge restorations. "I have used it in the cementation of zirconia, lithium-disilicate, gold, and PFM crowns and bridges," he says. "It's truly a great solution for many luting processes. One product, multiple applications!"

According to the manufacturer, ACTIVA BioACTIVE-CEMENT supports mineral apatite formation and the natural remineralization process at the material-tooth interface. This remineralization helps knit together the restoration and the tooth, penetrating and filling microgaps and reducing sensitivity. Available in A2 and translucent shades, the material is said to be tough, resilient, fracture resistant, and insoluble.

The bioactive cement, Comisi explains, helps reduce microleakage-the leading cause of secondary caries-by releasing calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions. "These ions have also been demonstrated to work as nucleation sites for the remineralization of tooth structure, and will help seal against microleakage." He adds that the product offers ease of use and the ability to have a single cement for the final cementing of various types of indirect dental restorations.

"The simplified application of ACTIVA cement provides a significant benefit, as there is no etching or bonding, and it can be used in light-cure mode for more translucent materials and in self-cure mode for other materials," Comisi says. "Crown adhesion has been extremely good."

"The evidence is mounting that traditional, non-ion-releasing materials are likely to be a thing of the past," Comisi states. "Incorporating a beneficial, ion-releasing material like ACTIVA BioACTIVE-CEMENT into your armamentarium can give you and your patients a more long-lasting and predictable outcome."

John C. Comisi, DDS, MAGD
Associate Professor, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

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