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A reliable, easy-to-use, long-term cementation solution for all indirect restorations, including zirconia
In 2017, a group of Dental Product Shopper evaluators, all seasoned general dentists, decided that BISCO’s TheraCem was an excellent adhesive solution for indirect restorations and dubbed it a DPS Best Product for its easy mixing, excellent handling, effortless cleanup, and reliable bonding. Because long-term bonding results were not available for the original short-term evaluation, DPS recently contacted some dentists who have used TheraCem for many years. Several clinicians shared their observations on the strength and durability of their TheraCem-bonded restorations and discussed how the self-adhesive resin cement performs with zirconia restorations and as a versatile adhesive solution for indirect restorations.
Indications & Time Savings
As the first BISCO cement to incorporate the THERA technology, TheraCem has a long history of reliable adhesion to zirconia, metal, ceramic, porcelain, composite, and tooth structure. The dualcured, calcium- and fluoride-releasing, self-adhesive resin cement is indicated for luting crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays and posts and for cementing implant supported restorations and orthodontic appliances.
TheraCem’s paste/paste formula is automatically mixed in a dual syringe for immediate delivery and transitions from acidic to alkaline pH in minutes¹. “I like how easy it mixes in the dual syringe, and I like its consistency when applying it to the crown,” shared Dr. Scott Miller, who has been using TheraCem for over 3 years. When asked if he would recommend TheraCem to other dentists, longtime user Dr. Juan Jose Lopez said “definitely” because he “likes to share good news,” explaining that TheraCem includes everything he needs in a resin cement—”fluorideand calcium-releasing ions, an alkaline pH, improved efficiency because no etching is needed on zirconia cementation, easy cement removal, and radiopacity.”
As Dr. Lopez mentioned, no etching, priming, or bonding is required when using TheraCem, which saves time for the clinician and the patient and “significantly reduces the likelihood of cementation failures,” according to Dr. George Reskakis, who has been using TheraCem since BISCO first launched the cement. “As with many resin-based cements, I was concerned about the need to etch in advance and whether this would lead to inadvertent bleeding which would potentially lead to poor bonding of the cement,” Dr. Reskakis explained. “TheraCem bonds very well to zirconia and has streamlined the cementation process by eliminating the etching step. It has simplified what can be a challenging step in achieving restorative excellence.”
Easy Cleanup
TheraCem is formulated for quick and easy cleanup. “The ability to soft cure the material makes cleanup quick and easy,” shared Dr. Reskakis, who said he “no longer struggles to remove hardened cement from interproximals.” Dr. Lopez agreed that “it is easy to clean up after 3 seconds of tack curing the margins.” Praising the simplified cementation process and easy cleanup, Dr. Scott Schaffer said he “had no reports of post cementation sensitivity” with TheraCem. In fact, he had one patient who was sensitive while the final restoration was temporarily cemented, and that sensitivity went away after the final cementation with TheraCem.
Confident Zirconia Restorations
TheraCem contains MDP, an adhesion promoting monomer that bonds to zirconia and metal via an addition reaction. This reaction generates a covalent bond and allows TheraCem to bond to zirconia and metal substrates without the use of an additional primer, reducing the number of steps required in the restoration process while enhancing bond strength.
“All dentists know that [cementing zirconia] is not an easy task to achieve,” shared Dr. Lopez, who said TheraCem streamlines the cementation process because it does not require etching or bonding. “I use TheraCem to cement zirconia crowns in combination with BISCO’s ZirClean and Z-PRIME Plus,” he said. Using these 3 products together “elevates my confidence in the zirconia cementation process,” Dr. Lopez added.
“I choose TheraCem because I trust BISCO products to perform well, and TheraCem performs very well with zirconia crowns,” said Dr. Miller, who also cleans the inside of zirconia crowns with ZirClean prior to placement. “TheraCem makes the cementation predictable, and knowing that fluoride and calcium are released gives me more confidence in the success of the cementation down the road.”
Overall Satisfaction
When asked if he would recommend TheraCem to colleagues, Dr. Reskakis replied, “Absolutely. TheraCem has great chemistry, great handling, and great performance!” Since using TheraCem, he said, “I now have more confidence in the long-term success of zirconia restorations. I have had no long-term failures due to loss of retention.” Dr. Lopez concluded, “Having the security that the cement will release fluoride and calcium ions and [achieve] an alkaline pH in minutes after cementation, gives me peace of mind.”
Reference
1. New Self-adhesive Resin Cement With Alkaline p
