Using Traxodent in Clinical Practice

Enjoy predictable and fast hemostasis and retraction without cord or hemostatic solution.

Traxodent is a retraction and hemostatic paste (Premier Dental), supplied preloaded in disposable syringes. It can be used in virtually any clinical situation in which control of bleeding is required. When used with a compression cap, it also provides excellent tissue retraction, making it well suited for crown-and-bridge procedures.

Gingival bleeding is an everyday occurrence in clinical practice. In certain situations it is not a complicating factor, or the bleeding is sufficiently minimal such that it can be quickly controlled with a cotton pellet or something similar. There are many clinical situations; however, in which gingival bleeding must be controlled to achieve a successful treatment outcome. Another complicating factor commonly encountered is hypertrophic gingival tissue, which is always accompanied by bleeding. These situations require tissue retraction and control of bleeding. This is a common occurrence with interproximal caries and tooth fractures near the gingival margin. Up until now, clinicians have used a variety of materials and techniques to achieve tissue retraction and to control bleeding, with varying degrees of success. Traxodent is applicable in many clinical situations including crown-and-bridge procedures and restorative procedures in interproximal areas or adjacent to the gingival margin, among others. When compared to packing gingival retraction cord before taking a crown impression, Traxodent with a compression cap is considerably more comfortable for the patient as well. Packing gingival retraction cord can be an uncomfortable procedure for a patient especially when the gingiva is thin. It can also be difficult and time consuming for the practitioner. Traxodent placement and the use of a compression cap are painless and require only a few moments to complete.

One of the most important attributes is the predictability of the results. Traxodent consistently provides excellent results. This is critically important for a clinician; having confidence that a material is going to consistently provide a dry, well retracted field. Failure to achieve a dry, well-retracted operative field can result in failure of a procedure.

One of the best features is its ease of use. There is essentially no learning curve with Traxodent. The material is placed where hemostasis with or without tissue retraction is needed. With fixed prosthodontic cases, the disposable dispensing tip is merely moved around the gingival margin of the teeth as the syringe plunger is being depressed to express the material around the crown preparation. The procedure is identical to using syringeable hemostatic agents in gel form. The compression cap is a cylindrical, dense cotton pellet with a concave end, providing close adaptation to the facial, lingual, and interproximal areas of the teeth being treated. After Traxodent is placed around the tooth, the patient bites on the compression cap for 2 minutes. The compression cap is then removed, and the Traxodent material is washed off with a tri-syringe using high-volume suction. The gingiva is retracted and a dry field is obtained, providing optimal conditions for the final impressions.

Figure 1 through Figure 3 illustrates the use of Traxodent during the removal of an old, defective restoration in tooth No. 19. The old restoration had a distal overhanging margin. After removal of the old restoration, the distal aspect was bleeding profusely because of the inflamed gingival tissue created by the overhang. Bleeding had to be controlled prior to placement of the build-up. Traxodent was placed in the distal aspect of the tooth, followed by placement of a cotton pellet. The cotton pellet was wedged into the interproximal area to provide pressure, and facilitated gingival tissue retraction. After 2 minutes, the cotton pellet was removed, and the area was thoroughly washed with an air/water syringe. Establishing a dry field to prevent moisture contamination was necessary to achieve a successful result.

The use of gingival retraction cord and hemostatic agents has been the standard of care for crown-and-bridge cases for years. In certain clinical situations, especially anterior porcelain crowns, bridges, and veneers, they may be the materials of choice. Traxodent represents another option for clinicians. It is easy to use and provides excellent, predictable gingival tissue hemostasis and retraction. It is well suited to many clinical situations encountered in daily in practice.

Disclaimer

The preceding material was provided by the manufacturer. The statements and opinions contained therein are solely those of the manufacturer and not of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dentistry.

For more information, contact:
Premier Dental
Phone: 888-670-6100
Web: www.premusa.com