Todays post is a bit longer than normal, but I felt the need to explain this concept of bioactivity in a permanent cement in greater detail. Also, I want to emphasize that this product is part of an entire line of products that have been on the market for a while now... and that's important.
I've been a fan of Vista-Apex Solutions for over ten years. They are a smaller company in the industry with an incredible group of products and an amazing team that makes them happen. I like to use products from companies that do things "the right way" and Vista-Apex Solutions definitely meets that standard.
One of their product lines that I like is the ReGen family of products. Those materials incorporate bioglass which creates amazing bioactivity. The materials with bioglass actually stimulate creation of hydroxyapatite at the tooth/material interface. The ReGen family features a bonding agent, composite, flowable composite, endo sealer, and more products than I've got room to mention in this post. If you'd like to see all the ReGen products, take a look at the company website.
One of the things I love about dentistry is that materials continue to evolve. Sometimes the changes are incremental. Other times, somebody takes something we've been using forever and asks a pretty simple question: Can we make this do more? That was my reaction when I started looking at the new ReGen Bioactive Cement from Vista Apex.
Obviously, resin cements aren't new. We use them every day. We want a cement that gives us reliable retention, works with the restorative materials we're using, cleans up reasonably well, and—perhaps most importantly—doesn't give us surprises. But ReGen adds another interesting idea to that list: bioactivity.
I've been following bioactive materials for quite a while, and I think it's important that we don't let "bioactive" become just another dental buzzword. Vista Apex has built its ReGen family around bioactive technology, particularly the ability of these materials to interact with the surrounding tooth environment rather than simply being biologically inert. The new ReGen Bioactive Cement continues that concept.
It is a dual-cure luting cement designed for permanent cementation of indirect restorations, including crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays and endodontic posts. It can be used with the materials we're dealing with every day, including zirconia, lithium disilicate, porcelain, composite and metal restorations.
While bonded to the tooth, the cement is designed to release calcium and phosphate ions.
Vista Apex has already been working in this area with its ReGen restorative family, which incorporates bioactive glass technology designed to promote apatite formation and create a more favorable environment at the tooth/restoration interface. I think that interface is where this gets interesting.
When we cement a crown, we're hoping that restoration stays there for a very long time. Yet we all know what can eventually happen around margins. Plaque accumulates. Acids are produced. Demineralization can occur. Margins can deteriorate, and recurrent decay remains one of the reasons restorations eventually need to be replaced.
Traditionally, we've depended primarily upon the quality of our preparation, isolation, restorative material and cementation technique to protect that interface. What if the cement itself could contribute something as well? That's the concept behind materials in the ReGen line.
Rather than thinking of cement simply as the material occupying the space between the restoration and the tooth, we're seeing a material engineered to interact with its environment. I find that concept fascinating.
But don't forget the practical side. Of course, I'm still a practicing dentist. Interesting chemistry is great, but eventually somebody has to actually cement a crown with the stuff. ReGen is supplied in a double barrel mixing syringe that uses both self-polymerization and light polymerization—a dual-cure approach that makes sense for indirect dentistry because light isn't always going to reach every portion of the cement layer.
Its indications also cover a broad range of the restorations most of us are placing today, which means this isn't some highly specialized material looking for a clinical application. It's aimed directly at everyday restorative dentistry.
I've said many times that I'm interested in technology that doesn't simply make dentistry different—it makes dentistry better. Bioactive materials are an area I'm watching closely because they potentially change the role our restorative materials play. Instead of asking only, "How strong is it?" or "How well does it bond?", we're beginning to ask another question: What does the material do after we put it in the mouth? That's a very different way of thinking about dental materials.
ReGen Bioactive Cement is new, and as with any new material, I'm interested in seeing more independent laboratory data and, eventually, long-term clinical results. Bioactivity is exciting, but longevity in the mouth is ultimately where the story has to be proven. Still, I like where this is headed.
If we can combine the mechanical properties we need from a permanent resin cement with materials that release biologically relevant ions and potentially create a more favorable environment at the restoration/tooth interface, that's worth paying attention to. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn't simply to cement a crown. It's to keep that tooth healthy—and keep that crown in service—for as long as we possibly can. And if the cement can help us do that? I'm all for giving it more than just a supporting role. You can learn more by visiting the Vista-Apex Solutions website.
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