,Specializing in adhesive and composite technology, BISCO has a 40-year history of making restorative dentistry efficient, esthetic, and reliable, , ,We are the science behind the smile,” BISCO proudly proclaims. And indeed, today, BISCO is the manufacturer of some of the most widely used bonding and core buildup products on the market, with a loyal, long-term customer base. But when its founder, chemist Dr. Byoung I. Suh, arrived in the United States from Korea in 1964, he was still almost 20 years away from launching his company—in fact, he was still years away from discovering his interest in dentistry., ,By 1981, however, Dr. Suh had decided to take the plunge and started BISCO, and there was no looking back. Among the research
and development firsts notched by the company were BisFil-M (the first dental reinforced nanofil composite) and All-Bond 2 (the first successful universal bonding system)., ,BISCO and its team of scientists and engineers have always been focused on perfection. So although some of the early products reached the goal quickly and were immediate successes, others that didn’t live up to the company’s high standards weren’t allowed out the door. For example, TheraCal LC took 8 years to get to market., ,Fast-forward to 2021, and the same passion for perfection remains at the heart of BISCO’s business, not just in research and development, but in quality, manufacturing, and customer service. As a collaborative partner, BISCO helps plant the seeds of tomorrow’s dentistry with scientists and students in universities and dental organizations worldwide., ,And as a direct sales company, it offers dental professionals a rare opportunity to take advantage of special discounts and to share their product experiences and questions with a major manufacturer. Even dentists who are not BISCO customers can call and get expert assistance with an issue they’re facing., ,With consistent values come consistent products. BISCO’s adhesives don’t just perform year after year; their chemical compatibility means that they also work together seamlessly. From base liner to bulk fill to varnish, BISCO products can build a smile from the inside out., ,With research and development at its heart, the company has every intention of continuing to raise the bar with new materials that improve the practice and results of restorative dentistry. No wonder, then, that dentists “stick” with BISCO., ,Restorative materials that release calcium have been around for decades. However, many of them take time to mix and set, decreasing patient satisfaction and increasing chair time. Now, dentistry has the TheraFamily of products—TheraCal PT, TheraCal LC, TheraBase, and TheraCem—the first entries in the resin-modified calcium silicate class of dental restoratives., ,By releasing both calcium and fluoride ions,1 these hydrophilic materials create an alkaline environment, and alkaline pH promotes pulp vitality,² all while still offering the simplicity and ease of use for which BISCO products are known., ,Primary teeth may be deciduous, but they aren’t dispensable. When faced with a primary tooth in need of pulpotomy to survive,
TheraCal PT can be a superior alternative to materials such as calcium hydroxide and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) because of its hydrophilic, THERA resin matrix., ,TheraCal PT can be delivered directly into the pulp chamber without mixing and it can be command set with a curing light for immediate restoration, saving critical time when the patient is less than ideally cooperative., ,For extra convenience, TheraCal PT’s dual-cure formulation allows for easy placement in a single layer. In addition, it’s compatible with adhesives, base layers, and other restorative materials.,TheraCal LC, with its flowable, light-cured formulation, is the TheraFamily’s direct or indirect pulp-capping representative. Its calcium-releasing properties*³ stimulate secondary dentin bridge formation as well as hydroxyapatite.⁴,⁵ A preserver of chair time, it also can be used as a protective liner in deep preps in place of glass ionomers, MTA, and other materials that can be more difficult to work with. TheraCal LC is compatible with a range of restorative materials, including resin composites and cements., ,If a foundation layer thicker than 1 mm is needed, TheraBase is the answer. Self-adhesive and dualcuring, TheraBase can be used as a companion to TheraCal LC in the sandwich technique or on its own. Its high flexural and compressive strength make it stronger and more durable than other base materials, while its alkaline pH contributes to pulp vitality.2, ,The dual-barrel automix syringe enables precision placement even in deep restorations. Despite the potential for postoperative sensitivity in cases where a base layer is called for, several Dental Product Shopper evaluators remarked on the absence of patientreported hypersensitivity after using TheraBase., ,The icing on the indirect restoration cake, TheraCem contains MDP, an adhesionpromoting monomer that eliminates the need to use an additional adhesive or primer to enhance bond strength with zirconia or metal restorations. Indicated for luting crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and posts, its tack-cure gel phase makes it easy to clean up excess cement, and its high radiopacity allows rapid identification on radiographs., ,
, ,For your average adult patient, it may be decades since they last received a fluoride varnish treatment. Yet roughly half of adults have dentin hypersensitivity, which can be effectively treated with FluoroCal. Containing 5% sodium fl uoride, tri calcium phosphate, a pleasant spearmint flavor, and xylitol, FluoroCal immediately relieves sensitive teeth as it penetrates and seals dentinal tubules. It also releases calcium in addition to fluoride for up to 24 hours, providing greater acid resistance than fluoride alone.⁶, ,FluoroCal is easily brushed on without clumping, even in a wet field, and looks and feels natural on the teeth when airdried. Application is fast, making it ideal for use in children—not to mention adults!, ,In a recent DPS product evaluation, one evaluator stated, “When compared to other fluoride varnishes, the ease of application and the effectiveness of sensitivity treatment were superior.” Another said, “Patients loved the flavor.”, ,Other evaluator comments included:,• “ FluoroCal sealed the pores in the exposed dentin.”,• “The mint flavor is tasty.”,• “ I like the ease of application best, and I was confident all surfaces were reached.”, ,
,What makes a bonding agent universal? The ability to bond to dry, moist, or wet tooth structure? Strong bonding to all substrates? Compatibility with all resin composites and cements? Utility in total-, selective-, and self-etch procedures? Ability to bond direct and indirect restorations? A 30-year history of success? All-Bond Universal checks all of those boxes, and does it with just 1 bottle, never requiring an activator., ,With its low film thickness and unique hydrophobic polymerization, All-Bond Universal ensures that indirect restorations fi t properly and remain durable. It also significantly decreases the incidence of postoperative sensitivity, as described by several clinicians. Best of all, perhaps, it can decrease the need for multiple bottles and extra supplies, streamlining inventory., ,Rated a Best Product by Dental Product Shopper evaluators in 2012 and again in 2019, All-Bond Universal truly stands up over time.,What the evaluators said:,• “ All-Bond Universal is my go-to product when it comes to bonding.”—Abraham Jaskiel, DMD,• “ One bottle has it all—etchant, primer, and bonding agent.” —Mitchell Pasenkoff, DMD,• “ As simple as it gets.”—John Horn, DMD, ,For a do-it-all resin luting cement for indirect restorations, look no further than Duo-Link Universal. Compatible with all dental restorative materials—including zirconia, CAD/CAM materials, metals, composites, and endodontic posts— Duo-Link offers reliable, permanent cementation in both self-cure and light-cure modes. Available in 2 kits that include either All-Bond Universal or Universal Primer plus all the other components needed for cementing indirect restorations, Duo-Link comes in an automix dual syringe for perfect mixing and placement., ,Two shades—Universal and Milky White—allow flexibility in masking darker preps. Cleanup of excess cement is easy with a tack cure of 2 to 3 seconds., ,Duo-Link Universal received high praise from a team of dentists who evaluated it for Dental Product Shopper. The evaluators used
the product in their practices for several weeks and rated a variety of criteria important to practice workflow and successful treatment outcomes, including:,• Performance and ease of use in total-, self-, and selective-etch modes,• Performance with indirect restorations,• Postoperative sensitivity (as reported by patients),• Product versatility Michael LaMarche, DDS, declared that “BISCO’s DuoLink has been perfected to a higher level than I imagined.”, ,“It’s great for almost any cementing solution,” said Mark L. Mason, DMD, and Laura Torrado, DDS, said, “It seems to comply with all needs for a cement, and especially reduced sensitivity.”, ,It’s probably happened to you: a zirconia, alumina, or metal crown that just didn’t want to stay bonded for the long run, despite
perfect fit and successful placement. To solve this problem, BISCO created Z-Prime Plus, a 1-bottle, easy-to-use priming agent that increases the bond strength between any composite resin cement and crowns made of these materials, as well as endodontic posts., ,The product’s room-temperature storage and no-mix formulation make adding it to any practice’s cementation protocol as simple as picking up the bottle. And its visible shine on the crown provides reassurance that it’s in place and ready to act., ,DPS evaluators particularly praised Z-Prime Plus for giving them increased confidence that their zirconia restorations would remain in place, with one commenting, “It especially gives me more faith in the ability to retain crowns in minimal height crown preps. My cements are just more adhesive.”, ,Other evaluator comments included:,• “ It really didn’t require any extra time to apply during the luting process.”,• “ I liked that I could use it for so many different procedures [and with] so many materials.”,• “ It leaves a great shine on the crown, which reassures me that it was applied correctly and will work.”, ,Z-Prime Plus is included in DuoLink Universal Kits as part of BISCO’s complete bonding solution for all indirect restorations., ,Hand in hand with Z-Prime Plus, ZirClean helps ensure that your zirconia— as well as ceramic and metal—crowns achieve the best possible lasting bond. Designed to simplify removal of phosphate and other contaminants that bond to the inner surface of zirconia crowns during try-in, ZirClean gel needs only 20 seconds in contact with the affected surface before being rinsed away, with no abrasive cleaning required. The delivery syringe makes precise placement of the gel a breeze, and the gel’s blue color makes complete rinsing easy to determine., ,Here’s what some DPS evaluators had to say:,• “ Using ZirClean gave me peace of mind, knowing I am doing all I can to ensure a strong bond.”—John Leitner, DDS,• “ I would recommend it because of its value and ease of use, especially cleanup.”—Frank Friedman, DMD.,• “ I believe that ZirClean is the new gold standard.”—Kapish Goyal, DDS, ,Have you ever found a product that never disappoints? According to clinicians who have used Core-Flo DC and Core-Flo DC Lite in the past 10 years, they have. Following in the BISCO tradition of versatility and excellence, these core buildup materials offer reliability, durability, and flexibility when fabricating direct restorations, with or without a post., ,Both products possess excellent flowability for superior handling and void-free placement, are radiopaque, and cut like dentin; however, COREFLO DC is stackable while CORE-FLO DC Lite is self-leveling. Their dual-cure formulation and automix dual-syringe dispensers allow placement in a single increment or simultaneous buildup and post cementation to save valuable chair time, and their high compressive and flexural strength make them suitable for dentin replacement., ,Perhaps most remarkable, however, is the recurring theme among dentists who’ve used these products for several years. “CORE-FLO DC has never given me any problems with gouging and always maintains smooth margins at the restorative interface,” said Kevin Anderson, DMD, when he participated in the DPS evaluation of the product. “To this day, I have not had any sensitivity, de-bonds, bond failures, or discolored restorations with cores or indirect restorations completed with CORE-FLO DC.”, ,Another evaluator, Charles Crowl, DDS, said, “To date, I haven’t had any failures related to the CORE-FLO DC material. It seems to adhere well to substrates and has great durability when put into service.”, ,When DPS evaluated CORE-FLO DC Lite, Jeff Kosoris, DDS, had this to say: “I have absolute confidence in CORE FLO DC Lite restorations due to a long history of using it and other BISCO products in my practice. I have never had a negative outcome using this material and recommend it without hesitation.”, ,DPS product reviews involve groups of up to 15 objective dental professionals who test a product in their practices for a period of 4 weeks and then rate them based on a variety of criteria. When a product earns an overall score of at least 4.3 out of 5, it is deemed a DPS Best Product. BISCO has amassed no fewer than 11 such Best Products. Here are some highlights:, ,Why: The fluoride- and calcium-releasing luting cement requires no etching, priming, or bonding of the prepared surfaces. The product is easy to use and clean up, offers high radiopacity, and produces a reliable bond.,Key Qualities: Continuous calcium and fluoride release;1 allows for quick and easy cleanup; high physical strength., ,Why: Duo-Link Universal is compatible with all materials and offers a consistently high degree of conversion in self- and light-cure modes., ,Key Qualities: Easily identified on radiographs; available in Universal and Milky White shades; automix dual-syringe guarantees a perfect mix; easy placement and limited waste., ,Why: eCEMENT contains lightcure and dual-cure resin cement for exceptional retention and esthetics of lithium disilicate restorations. The system also may be used for veneers, inlays, onlays, crowns, 3-unit bridges, CAD/CAM blocks, and pressable ingots made of lithium disilicate., , Key Qualities: Universal and versatile; easy removal of excess cement; low film thickness; radiopaque., ,Why: The superior compressive and flexural strength of CORE-FLO DC offers the clinician reliability and durability when fabricating direct restorations. In a simplified technique, the clinician can cement the post and build up the core with a single application. CORE-FLO DC is radiopaque and available in 2 esthetic shades— Natural/A1 and Opaque White to meet all direct and indirect restorative requirements., ,Key Qualities: High compressive and flexural strength; superior handling/does not slump; easy to prepare; excellent flowability and adaptation as a post cement; low-shrinkage properties as a dentin replacement material., ,Why: With optimal self-leveling viscosity, CORE-FLO DC Lite allows for excellent adaption, resulting in gap-free margins when replacing natural dentition with a direct core buildup. With high shear bond strength to dentin, enamel, and fiber posts, the product is ideal for cementing the post and building up the core. CORE-FLO DC Lite is available in Natural/A1 and Opaque White shades., ,Key Qualities: Self-leveling and dual-cured; superior handling characteristics when building up the core; easy to prepare; low-shrinkage properties as a dentin replacement material; high compressive and flexural strengths., ,Why: Delivering a smooth, nonstringy material that can be used in everyday restorative procedures, SELECT HV ETCH also performs well when etching enamel margins without etching dentin, otherwise known as the “hybrid technique.” This is desirable when etching enamel before applying a self-etch adhesive, or for the immediate dentin sealing procedure. Etching uncut enamel with SELECT HV ETCH significantly improves the quality of the etch pattern and bonding surface., ,Key Qualities: High viscosity; thixotropic; blue for easy visualization., ,Why: An ideal chemical formulation for both self-etch and total-etch adhesion, ALL-BOND UNIVERSAL contains MDP monomers for enhanced durability. Its ultra-mild acidity allows for universal compatibility with dual-cured and selfcured materials, and the resin-friendly hydrophobic formula results in improved durability of the bond. Due to its low film thickness, the adhesive flows readily into etched surfaces and offers both chemical and mechanical sealing., ,Key Qualities: Not moisture sensitive; bond strength to all substrates; virtually no postop sensitivity., ,Why: Z-Prime Plus significantly enhances bond strengths to zirconia, alumina, and metal substrates due to its unique combination of 2 active monomers—a phosphate monomer (MDP) and a carboxylate monomer (BPDM). This combination produces a synergistic effect, resulting in high bond strengths. Z-Prime Plus is compatible with both light- and dual-cured resin luting cements. Available in 2-mL and 4-mL bottles, Z-Prime Plus is easy to dispense and apply from a single bottle., ,Key Qualities: High bond strengths to zirconia, alumina, and metal; compatible with light- or dual-cured resin luting cements; single-bottle delivery; enhances bond strengths of other resin cements., , Why: BISCO developed TheraBase base and liner to ensure that dentists create a fi rm foundation and fully sealed margins under any restoration. 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., ,Key Qualities: Dual-cured, selfadhesive base and liner that chemically bonds to tooth structure; dispensed in a dual syringe with automix tips for easy placement; releases and recharges calcium and fluoride ions.1, ,References ,* BISCO has, on fi le, the calcium release data for TheraCal LC.,1. Gleave CM, Chen L, Suh BI. Calcium & fl uoride 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.,3. Gandolfi MG, Siboni F, Prati C. Chemical-physical properties of TheraCal, a novel light-curable MTA-like material for pulp capping. Int Endod J. 2012;45(6):571–9.,4. ADA defi nitions for direct and indirect pulp capping at: www. ada.org/en/publications/cdt/glossary-of-dental-clinical-andadministrative-ter,5. Gandolfi MG, Siboni F, Taddei P, Modena E. Apatite-forming ability of TheraCal pulp-capping material, J Dent Res 90 (Spec Iss A):abstract number 2520, 2011. www. dentalresearch.org,6. Li X. Remineralisation of enamel: A review of the literature. J Dent. 2014;42:S12-S20. Doi: 10.1016/S0300–5712(14)50003–6
