The Difficult Issue of Moisture in Dentistry

Moisture is the nature of the human body – especially the oral cavity. And while we’ve developed products to restore and protect our natural teeth, we’ve mostly only been able to develop products that work in dry environments.

Look at dental sealants for example. Traditional dental resin sealants prevent advancement of cavities, but if there is saliva contamination they can yield poor results. Glass ionomer sealants are better as they work with the saliva, but the benefits can be undercut by the frequent acidic characteristics found in the mouth.

There are a few hydrophilic products, however, that have been developed to work more successfully in moist environments. One example is Pulpdent’s Embrace WetBond Pit & Fissure Sealant. This material has the ability to allow ion transfer like a glass ionomer as well as a low solubility and a thorough adhesion to tooth structure. To allow for the free flow of beneficial ions through the material, the formula contains a small amount of water and is an ionic resin. This enables a continuous ionic exchange and makes Embrace a dynamic bioactive system more equipped for moist working environments.

It’s a great leap toward solving a difficult issue – but in due time and with the invention of similar products, it will no doubt be handled without any difficulty at all.

For a more in-depth look at glass ionomer sealants and how they work with saliva, watch for John C. Comisi’s article “The Challenge of Hydrophobic Material Use in a Moist Environment” in your spring edition of Sparkle, released beginning of May.

About Post Author

Mike Smurr

Mike Smurr is the <a href="https://www.pattersondental.com/">Patterson Dental</a> Director of Marketing, Merchandise. Mike began his career with Patterson in 2000, as Milwaukee Branch manager, and held that position until December 2008. During this time, the branch earned Branch of the Year honors twice (fiscal 2001 and fiscal 2003), as well as the Chuck Lottes Award in fiscal 2004 for largest dollar increase in net income over prior year. Mike began his dental career in 1982 as a territory manager for Columbus Dental, serving northern Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1986, he became a marketing manager with Columbus Dental, and was instrumental in transitioning product lines when the company was purchased by Bayer Dental (now Heraeus). From 1989-1990 Mike worked in Germany with the International Marketing team of Bayer Dental. Upon returning to the U.S., he held positions of increasing responsibility, from key account manager to national sales manager. In 1998, Mike became the dental marketing director for Banta Healthcare Products (now TIDI Products), where he advanced to vice president of sales and marketing, responsible for the dental, medical and foodservice business. In his current role as Director of Marketing, Merchandise, Mike is responsible for the marketing interactions between Patterson Dental and the over 800 manufacturers with whom Patterson works. This includes marketing communications, product submissions, promotional and introductory product campaigns and private label business.