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A dual-cure, self-adhesive base and liner that chemically bonds to tooth structure and releases and recharges calcium and fluoride ions1
When constructing a building, a stable foundation lays the groundwork for future success of the entire structure. If the foundation is unstable or faulty, it may shift over time, causing cracks in the walls, floors, or the foundation itself. Just like a building needs a strong, supportive foundation to avoid potential failures in the future, a successful dental restoration needs to begin with a strong foundation to endure occlusal forces for many years.
BISCO developed TheraBase base and liner to ensure that dentists create a firm foundation and fully sealed margins under any restoration. The newest member of BISCO’s Thera Family, TheraBase features high compressive strength, chemically bonds to tooth structure, and releases and recharges calcium and fluoride.1 For ease of use, TheraBase is auto-mixed, self-adhesive, and dual-cured, and it will polymerize fully in deep restorations where light cannot reach.
“This is a wonderful material,” said Dr. Francis Jacobyansky after testing TheraBase in his practice for a few weeks. “It was incredibly easy to mix, and it was simple to accurately place the material exactly where I wanted it to go.” He added, “Besides the fluoride release, the concomitant release of calcium makes me feel more confident that I am doing the best for my patients. I will use it under any deep or questionable restorations. It definitely fills a void in our armamentarium.”
Delivery & Application
With an automix tip and a dual syringe, TheraBase easily mixes to a consistency that can be immediately dispensed as a base or liner. “The tips are amazing, and the material is very easy to place and stays there,” noted Dr. Aisha Nasir, who suggested a “rotating tip to help with grip.” Dr. Jacobyansky said the ease of delivery and exact placement were his favorite features. “It saved mixing time, and I could place it exactly where I wanted it to go.” While one dentist said the tips were too long, most of the DPS evaluators said the dispensing system was easy to use, including Dr. Trung Tran, who said, “The automix was very useful,” and Dr. James Falk, who called TheraBase “quick and simple – it stays where you put it.”
“I liked its ease of use and application; it seemed to flow and apply very easily,” noted Dr. David Mastrota, and Dr. Leo Huck agreed that TheraBase is “easy to place and easy to handle.” Calling TheraBase “so much easier to place than other products,” Dr. Milton Ruiz suggested a little thicker consistency, and Dr. Hasan Khajah mentioned, “I think increasing the product viscosity 10% would be advantageous.”
THERA Technology
Thanks to BISCO’s THERA technology, TheraBase chemically bonds to tooth structure, releases and recharges calcium and fluoride,1 and quickly generates an alkaline pH. Alkaline pH promotes pulp vitality.2 “It has good adhesion. I liked its ability to adhere to dentin,” noted Dr. John Jackfert. “The self-bonding and dual cure are real time savers, and it seems to insulate nearby pulp tissue,” said Dr. Falk. Dr. Huck stated, “It’s nice that it is dual cure and has continuous release of calcium and fluoride ions,” and Dr. Jacobyansky said, “The
fluoride and calcium release made me mentally feel much better about sealing margins.” Dr. Aliisha Choucair said she likes the science behind the product’s development but would like to see improved radiopacity.
Final Results
“Postop sensitivity is something every dentist dreads,” declared Dr. Choucair. “I believe TheraBase was effective in preventing pulpitis as the patients reported no hypersensitivity, which makes the patient’s experience much more positive.” She also used TheraBase over TheraCal for an indirect pulp cap and reported good results. Dr. Huck reported similar success with very deep restorations and said, “I placed it and restored it with layers of [a bulk fill] on top of it, and the patient didn’t feel any postop sensitivity.” Dr. Ruiz was satisfied to have “no reports of sensitivity on any of the TheraBase cases,” especially in very deep cavities “where I would have expected sensitivity afterward but there was none reported.”
According to BISCO, TheraBase is stronger and more durable than other base materials, glass ionomers, and resin-modified glass ionomers, and its high compressive strength absorbs shock and stress from occlusal forces without fracturing. “I liked its strength,” said Dr. Huck, “especially that it absorbs any loads from occlusal forces.” Stating that he cannot assess the long-term results of TheraBase yet, Dr. Ruiz reported, “The initial feedback was very good.”
Overall Satisfaction
Commenting that TheraBase helps make his patients happy, Dr. Falk said, “I feel it will enhance positive outcomes on deep restorations.” Dr. Jacobyansky concluded, “I will definitely purchase TheraBase for my practice. It will probably replace my RMGI bases. It is simply a wonderful product.”
References
1. Gleave CM, Chen L, Suh BI. Calcium & fluoride recharge of resin cements. Dent Mater. 2016 (32S):e26.
2. Okabe T, Sakamoto M, Takeuchi H, Matsushima K. Effects of pH on Mineralization Ability of Human Dental Pulp Cells. J Endod. 2006; 32(3):198-201.
