St. Lawrence Dentistry is pleased to announce the arrival of ‘Equia Forte HT’, an innovative, long term glass hybrid material for filling cavities in teeth.
Building on the success of previous products, this new material has higher translucency (improving the natural look), increased fluoride release, better handling characteristics, and higher compressive strengths than its predecessor.
For years dentists were trained with two primary restorative materials – amalgams and composites. Amalgams have become passe, and composite resin is the primary filling material used at St. Lawrence Dentistry.
The third class of material is Glass Ionomer. The considerable benefit of this material is it releases fluoride. There is a portion of the population that needs glass ionomer technology. These are people with a high cavity rate that have not gotten it yet under control. They are outstanding as a root surface filling because of an ‘ion’ exchange. Some dentists often overlook glass ionomer as the best material to use for specific situations. North Americans were not the pioneers of the glass ionomer technology as it got its start in Asia, Britton, and Australia. As such, its benefits have had a slower implementation.
Glass ionomers have a high ‘ionic’ bond with root cavities. They have a high fluoride release and ‘rechargeability’ – meaning if a patient is ingesting a source of fluoride, the glass ionomer will reuptake this fluoride and then release it slowly. Adolescents always don’t have their oral hygiene under control yet, and their teeth are still developing. A continued release of fluoride onto their younger teeth is a huge benefit. Glass ionomers prefer a moist surface when placed, not a bone dry surface, which can facilitate placement in a pediatric patient who won’t ‘sit still’.
Equia Forte HT’s formulation provides superior fluoride release at the tooth-filling interface. The fluoride release starts above that of competitive products and continues to outperform over time. Dr. Hawryluk uses this class of restoratives in conjunction with fluoridated oral care products such as MI paste plus or MI One to recharge Fluoride content.
The material is moisture tolerant, which is especially important in deep cavities where the placement of a ‘dental dam’ is not possible. With this material use of a dental dam and adhesive layers are unnecessary, shortening the time of your dental procedure. Pushing the boundaries of glass hybrid technology even further, it provides improved translucency for better-looking fillings. The refractive index of the material is adapted to give the material natural esthetics. The result of these characteristics is Equia Forte HT provides excellent compressive strength, flexural strength, surface hardness, and wear resistance. In, addition Dr. Hawryluk Jr. finds it seals exceptionally well against a tooth to provide resistance against microleakage.
Dr. Hawryluk Jr. uses Equia Forte HT in multiple indications, including stress-bearing fillings. It is excellent for filling back teeth and is indicated for all ages – from pediatric to geriatrics. It is a great material for patients at high risk for cavities – as a reliable and biomimetic amalgam alternative. Also, Dr. Hawyrluk finds its excellent for sensitive, hypo-mineralized teeth for patients of young ages.
In summary, glass ionomers are an extraordinarily versatile and durable filling material. Dr. Hawryluk is committed to technically excellent dentistry with the finest materials available. This material helps him reach that commitment.
If you would like more information about glass ionomer fillings at St. Lawrence Dentistry, please call us.
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