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Product Review:
Ultradent
Astringedent X

Keeping Blood Under
Control in Restorative
Procedures
Catapult evaluators tested
Ultradent’s Astringedent X
ability to put control back in the
clinician’s hands during restorative
treatments. [ by Sonny Spera, DDS ]

Dentistry, in a controlled environment,
is not so bad. Take a clinician with
minimal experience and confidence,
and in the absence of aggressive
tongues, large cheeks, and overactive salivary
glands, the dentist’s clinical results most likely
will be positive and predictable. Life, sadly, does
not always present us with such ideal and controlled
environments.
Although the examples
above are difficult enough, the biggest challenge
is dealing with blood. It’s believed that 47.2% of
adults in the United States have some form of
gum disease. Therefore, blood is quite common
in our workspaces. The inflammation associated
with this incredibly common disease leads to
challenges with visibility, contamination, and
marginal isolation. It ruins our restorations,
carries bloodborne pathogens, destroys our
impressions and scans, and can easily transform
our work day in the operatory into one full of
stress, frustration, and unpredictability.
Simply put, blood is the bad guy.
Fortunately, there are several solutions that, when added to a restorative dentist’s armamentarium, can control blood in the working field. These include but are not limited to:
Simply put, blood is the bad guy.
Fortunately, there are several solutions that, when added to a restorative dentist’s armamentarium, can control blood in the working field. These include but are not limited to:
- Lasers: highly effective, destructive, and expensive up front
- Retraction cord: difficult, time-consuming, cost effective
- Gingival retraction paste: not always effective, time-consuming
- Coagulative hemostatic agents: variably effective, convenient, cost-effective
Most dentists would agree that a combination of the above strategies may be needed due to the diverse clinical scenarios we encounter.
“It was very fast acting and controlled bleeding quite well” and “Hemostasis was immediate! The product was excellent.”
The Catapult evaluators noted a few features of Astringedent X that stood out. First, it is dispensed via Ultradent’s Dento-Infusor tip, which has a unique array of brush tips. This was very well-received by Catapult evaluators; 94% found that application using the tip was helpful. They found it less wasteful and more convenient to use than a cotton pellet or microbrush.
The majority of evaluating dentists had the
opportunity to use Astringedent X in areas
where there was significant bleeding. These
would be areas in which most clinicians would
have to revert to less convenient, more time-consuming,
or more costly methods to achieve
desired hemostasis. For example, the bleeding
would normally be so excessive that they would
have to use a diode laser. To really put this product
to the test, the evaluators used Astringedent
X in the most difficult areas of hemostasis. An
alarming 81% of these clinicians noted that it was
just as or more effective at controlling bleeding.
Remarks included, “It was very fast acting and
controlled bleeding quite well” and “Hemostasis
was immediate! The product was excellent.” One evaluator even commented that this was the
“best product available for controlling excessive
bleeding.”
Although Astringedent X earned glowing feedback from its evaluators in terms of effectiveness, there were negative comments, primarily concerned with viscosity. Astringedent X possesses less viscosity than typical hemostatic agents such as ViscoStat. As a result, more of the product is expressed with the same amount of finger strength on the syringe. Almost all of the evaluators experienced this and realized that a learning curve must be met before being able to avoid overexpression of the product.
Although Astringedent X earned glowing feedback from its evaluators in terms of effectiveness, there were negative comments, primarily concerned with viscosity. Astringedent X possesses less viscosity than typical hemostatic agents such as ViscoStat. As a result, more of the product is expressed with the same amount of finger strength on the syringe. Almost all of the evaluators experienced this and realized that a learning curve must be met before being able to avoid overexpression of the product.



I had the opportunity to use Astringedent X in
my office. I also conferred with another Catapult
clinical evaluator, Dr Ankur Gupta, who has a
general dentistry practice near Cleveland, Ohio.
Both of us put Astringedent X to the test by using
it in a heavily bloody situation, and we were very
impressed with how it performed. My assistant
had remarked on several occasions that “this stuff is magical.” Dr Gupta shared that he had
never used or heard of Astringedent X prior to
the product review, but after having a chance to
evaluate it, he told me that he now uses it almost
every day. We agreed that it was runnier than
expected, but that didn’t really bother either of
us after getting the hang of it.
To receive the Catapult vote of confidence, a product must attain a higher than 90% overall satisfaction in effectiveness. Astringedent X clearly met such criteria. For this author, it is rare for a product to go from unheard of to being used every day. This is one such product.
To receive the Catapult vote of confidence, a product must attain a higher than 90% overall satisfaction in effectiveness. Astringedent X clearly met such criteria. For this author, it is rare for a product to go from unheard of to being used every day. This is one such product.
Congratulations
to Ultradent for successfully providing
another tool to make our lives as clinicians easier,
less stressful, and more enjoyable.
Catapult evaluators give the Catapult Vote of Confidence™ to Ultradent's Astringedent X
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