Peer to Peer: Surtex Sterile Posts

HOWARD STRASSLER,

DMD, FADM, FAGD

Dr. Strassler is Professor, Operative Dentistry, and ADEX CDCA Coordinator at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of General Dentistry. He has written over 500 articles and columns in the fi eld of restorative dentistry and innovations in dental practice, and sits on the editorial review board of a number of dental publications. He actively consults and evaluates products from over 15 dental manufacturers. Dr. Strassler is a recipient of the Academy of General Dentistry’s highest honor, the Thaddeus W. Weclew Honorary Fellowship, which is given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the art and science of dentistry. His passion and focus in his over 40 years of dental education continues to be about advancing dentistry in technique and technology. His latest mission involves streamlining dental licensure across the U.S.

Surtex Sterile Posts

Presterilized posts provide reliability and value while reducing the risk of bacterial cross-contamination

My passion and commitment as an educator of dentistry have allowed me to work with some great individuals. I count my working experience with one of dentistry’s pioneers, Bernie Weissman, among the top in terms of the innovations he brought to the treatment of restoring endodontically treated teeth. In 1988, Bernie—founder of Whaledent, later acquired by Coltene—purchased Dentatus because he liked the company’s original post design and felt he could make it better. At that time, he changed the reamer system and added surface texturization to make the post-and-crown procedure more efficient and aid in esthetic masking. We all know that innovation as the Surtex Post.

Now, the latest innovation from Dentatus combines the trusted post methodology of Surtex Post placement with sterilization—something that has always been very important in dentistry, but even more so during a global pandemic.

The Surtex Sterile Posts are right in line with the advancements that Dentatus has been developing and bringing to market for many years.

A Union of Innovation and Safety 

When you look at the Surtex Post, some might see a screw and think it needs to be “screwed” into the tooth, but that was never the intent. The intent was to have a post shaped like a screw, because the root itself was tapered. These anatomically shaped posts are non-engaging—they never engage the wall or dentin, but are instead cemented passively. This provides the option for removal by “unscrewing” with the Surtex innovative head design tool, should that tooth need further endodontic treatment.

The posts come pre-abraded, allowing for better retention with the threads. And now, due to innovations in the manufacturing process, the Surtex Sterile Posts are presterilized. They also have the advantage of being color-coded for quick reference and come in easy-to-organize blister packs to help save time.

Breaking the Chain of Infection

The COVID-19 pandemic further heightened infection control concerns that were already being discussed in classrooms and practices worldwide. Before Dentatus figured out how to sterilize at the manufacturer level, the discussion of sterilization of items like posts and burs went like this: “Do you sterilize?” The reply was, “They’re clean.” As dental professionals, we need to maintain the highest standards for infection prevention, and if I can use a product that is sterile at the manufacturing stage, then why not make that choice? It’s something that your patients will appreciate—knowing that you’ve done everything possible to increase the stability and retention of their dental work, while enhancing infection control with Surtex Sterile Posts.