BISCO’s Universal Adhesive: Faster Esthetic Dentistry Without Sacrificing Performance
Universal dental adhesives have made cosmetic restorations much easier and faster to execute, with reliable results, contends Wynn H. Okuda, DMD, who is in his 30th practice year in dentistry. The Honolulu, Hawaii-based clinician reminisces about the path that led him to cosmetic dentistry, reflecting upon entering the dental field in the early 1990s when art and dentistry were seen as two separate entities.
"I realized esthetic dentistry was a perfect fit for me because I was able to utilize and express my artistic side in dentistry, which led me directly toward adhesive dentistry," Okuda says. A past president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, he is passionate about teaching clinicians about cosmetic, restorative, and adhesive dentistry.
Okuda has been a long-time user of BISCO Inc. adhesive products, dating back to when he first started practicing cosmetic dentistry. For the past several years he's been an avid proponent of All-Bond Universal®, which, he explains, "offers a faster way of bonding, but doesn't sacrifice the quality of adhesive bond strength." He says he loves that the product is user-friendly, thereby allowing anyone from beginners to experienced clinicians to use it. "It lets you work fast and not worry about whether you're going to have problems with adhesion. It is very forgiving and there is virtually no technique sensitivity."
Okuda is also impressed by the sustainability of BISCO's All-Bond products. "I recently saw a patient whose veneers I put in more than 20 years ago using All-Bond 2®, and they still look fantastic!" he exclaims. He insists that "when you have good results with an older iteration of an adhesive, you will have confidence in the quality of succeeding products."
All-Bond Universal, Okuda suggests, lives up to its moniker. "It really is a universal, all-in-one adhesive that can be used for self-etch, total-etch, and selective-etch techniques, and for direct or indirect restorations," he says. The one-bottle adhesive, he continues, can also be used with self-curing types of resin. "That is a standout quality to me." He points out that while other single-bottle adhesives may actually require more than one bottle for indirect restorations, All-Bond Universal needs no activator.
Also available in unit-dose packages, not only does All-Bond Universal benefit the clinician, but the patient benefits as well, Okuda maintains. Because it is not a technique-sensitive product, he explains, he achieves consistent, predictable results, and consequently his patients experience no postoperative sensitivity. Additionally, attributing the success of BISCO's universal adhesive to "smart chemistry," he knows that he will achieve a long-lasting, durable result with All-Bond Universal, as there are no water-residue issues, a problem that can lead to delamination, which he has seen occur with other all-in-one adhesives.
As someone who is passionate about education, Okuda appreciates the support BISCO gives to practitioners through clinical continuing education. Having used BISCO dental adhesives for nearly three decades, he has seen firsthand the company work closely with clinicians to educate them on adhesive dentistry and bonding agents. BISCO, he says, not only instructs dentists in using its products but also values feedback about them so it can constantly improve its offerings. For example, he says, "All-Bond Universal is a modification of All-Bond 3®. It addressed the desire that clinicians had to speed up procedures without sacrificing performance."
Looking ahead, Okuda hopes to see adhesives and other material science evolve to catalyze bioactivity within tooth structure to increase natural healing of dentin. "The buzzword in materials is ‘bioactive,'" he says, and he expects BISCO to be at the forefront of that development.
"BISCO loves working with clinicians to help better its product," he asserts. "The company truly listens to what clinicians want and has been a great partner in our profession."
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