by Kim Miller, RDH, BSDH
[email protected]
Have you tried the Sheer film family of products from the CAO Group? If you haven’t, you should! I love the Sheer White! But before I tell you about the product, I want to tell you that I do not like having trays in my mouth for any length of time. I am that noncompliant patient who has a hard time using trays. So for me, the Sheer White is the first whitening system I’ve really been able to use. In fact, this whitening film is so easy to use, there is no longer any reason to deal with trays and gels. They’re perfect for anyone who wants to whiten their smile. Even my husband is using them!
Sheer White is 20% carbamide peroxide in a thin moldable film that completely contours to your teeth and arch. The adhesive film adapts to individual tooth anatomy and occlusion. There is no bulk with the thin film so they are really comfortable. In fact, I was talking on the phone with mine in.
Because the gel is on the adhesive strip, it stays against the tooth instead of oozing out and going down your throat. Sheer White is designed to stay effective for up to six hours. I recommend using them for six hours or overnight. When you wake up in the morning, the strip lifts right off. I found that if you attempt to remove the strips too soon, they are pretty tough to get off, proving that the adhesive gel really does stay where you put it.
Sheer White is packaged in patient treatment kits with a one-week (five day) supply. Each application has two adhesive strips to whiten both arches. However, if you only need to use one, opening the kit does not mean you have to use both strips right then. My husband has upper veneers, so he only uses one strip at a time.
Sheer White is reasonably priced, which makes it more affordable for your patients who want to whiten but have been unable to fit it into their budgets. I believe this whitening system is a real value that we can pass on to our patients. Since there is no need for custom trays, the cost can come way down; in fact, each Sheer White treatment kit runs between $15 and $20, depending upon how many kits you purchase.
If you already have an in-office whitening system, keep promoting it and keep using it! Many patients prefer the hands-on approach to whitening that in-office systems provide. For those patients who have not been able to invest in that approach, consider offering Sheer White as an option. The whitening films are perfect for patients who are A2 or lighter or those who want to simply touch up their in-office whitening from time to time.
The CAO Group has also introduced Sheer FluorX fluoride treatment film. This film employs an advanced delivery system — CAO Group’s proprietary thin, flexible Sheer Film material such as the material used in Sheer White. The films are easy to apply, eliminating the mess of bulky fluoride trays, and eliminating patient gagging. Just like the Sheer White, they mold to the teeth and the arch, providing complete contact of Sheer FluorX’s 5% acidulated sodium fluoride. The patient benefits from rapid uptake without washout of the gel or leakage down the throat. These are quick and easy to place after adult or child procedures.
Sheer FluorX fluoride treatment film, when worn for 15 minutes, provides as much uptake as fluoride varnish after four hours. If worn for one hour, Sheer FluorX films provide 230% greater uptake when compared to fluoride varnish after four hours. They come in both pedo and adult sizes and cover the entire arch. Each treatment kit comes with four treatments, which can be used for in-office application only, or you can adjust the fee accordingly and send the remainder of the kit home with the patient for home treatment.
For more information and to see other CAO products, log on to www.CaoGroup.com/Dental. To order, call Henry Schein at (800) 372-4346.
Suffering pain during a cleaning due to sensitivity is something none of our patients should have to endure. Gluma Desensitizer PowerGel is a one-step gel that allows for accurate control during placement. It’s perfect for treating the cervical erosions, exposed dentin surfaces, and gingival recession we often encounter during a prophy or periodontal maintenance. I have used this gel very successfully after SRP to decrease the incidence of postoperative root sensitivity.
Because this gel is fast and effective, it is easily incorporated during prophy or periodontal maintenance visits. Gluma Desensitizer PowerGel has helped my patients stay comfortable during and after procedures. The clinical research on this product indicates it can keep your patients comfortable for six to nine months.
Gluma Desensitizer PowerGel is easy to work with, and it stays where you put it. Because of the consistency and the green color, you can see exactly where it is, therefore reducing contact with the tissues. As always using good isolation techniques is very important since this gel will irritate any tissue it comes in contact with. Its no-drip formula makes it easy to handle and easy to control. Try it! I think you and your patients will like it. For more information, visit www.heraeus-dental-us.com, or call Heraeus at (877) 431-1785.
For your patients with sensitivity, try a home treatment desensitizing option also by CAO Group called Sheer DesenZ. Using the same thin-film application technology described above, the 3% potassium nitrate gel provides dependable relief for sensitivity. Check it out at www.CaoGroup.com/Dental.
Finally, let me extend a personal invitation to you to join the PerioFrogz Writer’s Corner. If you have something to say, a success story to tell, case presentation tips to offer, or any other dental related topic, write it down and send it in. Your white paper or article will be posted for site viewers to read, and selected submissions will be offered for publication. Visit www.periofrogz.com for details.
Kim Miller, RDH, BSDH, is the co-founder of PerioFrogz.com, which provides current oral-systemic research summaries and patient education downloads. She speaks internationally, provides hands-on training, writes articles and webinars, and practices dental hygiene in Redding, Calif. Contact her at [email protected].
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