Dear colleagues, Once again, we’re wrapping up another great year. It has been great in many ways, and a few certainly stand out:

A user report by dentist Sara Jalili Tooth whitening protocols can be as complex as the selection of the appropriate whitening agent. Whenever patients with discolored teeth require a flexible, comfortable, and uncomplicated cosmetic teeth whitening treatment, the solution in our dental practice is Opalescence Go whitening gel.

A user report by Tapio Nurmi Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) used to be an excellent and proven repair material for a wide range of endodontic indications. However, users have always been faced with challenges due to the complicated handling properties. The endodontic specialist Tapio Nurmi (Finland) talks about his experiences with MTA and how the innovative MTAFlow™ and MTAFlow™ White repair cements have significantly helped to overcome the common challenges.

A case report by Dr. Sasan Harun-Mahdavi First published: ZWP Zahnarzt Wirtschaft Praxis [German business magazine for dentists] 10/22, pp. 92-95, OEMUS MEDIA AG, Leipzig Dr. Sasan Harun-Mahdavi is the owner of the practice for oral and maxillofacial dentistry "Zahnärzte im Lehel" in Munich, Germany. Restorations are part of his wide range of treatments. Here, he and his team attach great importance to esthetic fillings. Based on his experiences, Dr. Harun-Mahdavi reports on the importance of matrix systems to him.

In the fields of preventive care, fluoride varnishes play an important role. Unfortunately, most patients literally do not appreciate their use. The reasons are obvious: a lot of varnishes leave an unpleasant texture on the teeth and a bad taste in the mouth. Additionally, they start peeling off the teeth during the day. The popular EnamelastTM sodium fluoride varnish from Ultradent Products, however, has proven for many years, that preventive care treatments can be pleasant. Enamelast is a flavored, Xylitol sweetened, 5% sodium fluoride varnish with natural resins as a carrier. Its unique formula provides better adhesion, which enables an excellent fluoride release and absorption.

By Daniel Lewis Social media timelines are filled with folks using UV lights to whiten their teeth. From TikTok trends to Instagram influencers, people all over the internet are claiming these lights gave them the bright smile they’ve always wanted. Are these lights upending the professional teeth whitening business, reshaping long-standing practices and crumbling traditional practices?

In a time when patient safety and infection control are highlighted by a global pandemic, some dentists are still hesitant to use infection control barriers on their curing lights. While using barriers can require adjustments by the clinician (and have drawbacks, such as a dip in light output), proper application helps protect patients while minimizing issues experienced by the clinician.

By Daniel Lewis A quality matrix system is necessary for a large percentage of restorative cases, yet many fail to deliver elements clinicians need for the quality of work they want to provide. In creating the Halo™ matrix system, developers identified areas where many of these systems are lacking and rectified them in ways dentists appreciate—with rings lasting more than 1000 uses, the Halo matrix system is a high-quality, long-lasting system for high-quality, long-lasting restorations.

Ultradent Products is delighted to present the new Halo™ system. The easy-to-use sectional matrix system allows the creation of consistent, beautiful, and anatomically contoured composite restorations in less time. It offers all necessary components, such as nitinol rings, stainless steel matrix bands, and plastic wedges. The high-quality components are suitable for dealing with most of the clinical challenges associated with posterior restorations and were also designed to work together perfectly.

By Tanna Bowen Infection control barriers on dental curing lights are paramount for infection control—especially in pandemic/post-pandemic times, patients expect these measures to be taken more seriously than ever. Using these barriers on certain pieces of equipment have become as intuitive as putting on gloves before a procedure. While they can impact light output, proper application will ensure minimal effect on light while providing infection control.