KOL Forum: IonoStar Plus from VOCO
Key opinion leaders offer valuable perspective on clinical topics that will help raise your level of care.
APPLYING MODERN MATERIALS AND SCIENCE TO AT-RISK DENTAL POPULATIONS
The caries rate in the United States has not improved significantly over the last two decades. With an aging population, change in dietary preferences, and the use of medications that can alter salivary output, many patients are at increased risk for developing active lesions.
The new science of preventing caries in at-risk populations includes a multifactorial approach designed to disrupt the disease process, reduce risk factors and increase protective factors. The latter strategy includes the use of xylitol-containing toothpastes and gums, balancing oral pH with the use of sodium bicarbonate products, and delivering appropriate levels of fluoride to tooth surfaces to increase their resistance to acid attack.
Although popular in Europe and Asia, glass ionomer restorative materials have not been wholeheartedly embraced by American dental practices. This is a missed opportunity for clinicians, especially those who treat individuals with high caries risk. The good news is that VOCO has introduced IonoStar Plus to the U.S. market. This fast-setting glass ionomer material is appropriate for use in multiple clinical situations, including class I, II, III, IV, V and VI direct restorations.
IonoStar Plus has unique physical properties that make it an ideal restorative material for high-risk patients. These include:
- Fluoride Release — One significant benefit to glass ionomers is they provide sustained fluoride release to surrounding dental tissues, dramatically decreasing the likelihood of recurrent caries — and in a recent Tufts University evaluation, IonoStar Plus demonstrated 33% greater fluoride release than other glass ionomer materials.
- Adaptability and Packabilty — One of the most significant benefits of IonoStar Plus is its nonsticky nature, which makes it easy to place and adapt. Combined with its immediately packable properties, this material can be easily placed in all clinical situations.
- Radiopacity — IonoStar Plus has a radiopacity rating of 230% aluminum, making it readily visible in radiographs.
- Fast Setting — While many glass ionomers are slow setting, this is not the case with IonoStar Plus — it provides 60 seconds of working time and sets in two minutes.
- Improved Esthetics — Although glass ionomers typically don’t blend well with surrounding tooth structure — making them a second choice to composite in clinical situations requiring esthetic outcomes — IonoStar Plus offers optimal tooth fluorescence. This dramatically improves its optical properties, making it an ideal choice in the glass ionomer category when esthetics is a consideration.
The bottom line is that glass ionomers should be a go-to material in all restorative practices, as this is an excellent restorative choice for patients with high caries risk and/or sustained xerostomia, or those who face challenges in maintaining an oral environment conducive to health and disease prevention. VOCO’s fast-setting IonoStar Plus offers high fluoride release and easy, nonsticky handling, making it an ideal choice for today’s dental practice.
From Decisions in Dentistry. April 2017;3(4):54.
