"Pearls For Your Practice"® from Dr. Joe Blaes

Freedom from OrascopticFreedom from Orascoptic — I have been using magnification in my practice for more than 35 years. When Orascoptic first introduced a fiber-optic headlight in 1995, it was just what I was looking for. The only problem I had with it was that I was attached by a wire to a stationary light generator. I pulled the generator off the counter a number of times before finally getting in the habit of unplugging before I went to check a hygienist. I could see okay before the headlight, but now I could really see and the light was always right where I needed it. But the cords were always a hassle even when I moved on to a battery pack. I was always catching the wire on something. I received a press release from Orascoptic just before the 2010 ADA Meeting in Orlando giving details on the new Freedom system. It seemed too good to be true. How could the batteries be built into the glasses and not be extremely heavy? I made a note to be sure to stop by the Orascoptic booth on the exhibit floor to check out Freedom. I sat down and listened while company officials explained the features and benefits of this sleek, new magnification and light system with no wires. But the real test was to try on Freedom and check out the weight on my nose and head. These are the lightest magnifiers with a light source that I have ever worn. The innovative design features a weight-neutralizing counter balance between the battery pods and the headlight. The weight disbursement can be customized to relieve all forward pressure on the nose. The unit felt like it was perfectly balanced on my head and face. The glass design comes around on the side to totally protect my eyes from spray or debris. Now you can experience freedom in a whole new light. There are no cumbersome cables or heavy belt packs. The headlight delivers 5,000 foot candles, and will maintain its intensity during the full run time of the batteries. The revolutionary Freedom light is powered by small rechargeable battery pods that attach directly to the loupe frame. Each battery pod will provide power for three hours, and then automatically switch to the other pod. A flashing light on the frame alerts you to the switch. Capacitive touch technology allows the practitioner to control the light while holding instruments, and eliminates bacteria traps that are associated with traditional buttons, knobs, or switches. The compact pods and lightweight headlight attach to virtually any TTL loupe model on the market. The Freedom system includes a battery charging station and four fast-charging, hot swappable batteries. Call (800) 369-3698 or visit www.freedomfromcables.com for more information.

Shine reNEW^TM Stain and Rust Remover from Hu-FriedyShine reNEW™ Stain and Rust Remover from Hu-Friedy — I always assume that my office is like many others. So your office probably has some instruments that still function but have lost their luster. This almost sounds like one of those TV spots that claim to shine silver by magically putting the silver in a solution and having it come out shining like never before. The difference is that Hu-Friedy has come up with a way to make instruments shine again that really works. It is not magic. Shine reNEW™ will effectively remove stain and rust and restore the luster to stainless steel and tungsten carbide instruments by simply putting them in a solution to soak and following the instructions. Are your hinged instruments hard to open? You have probably tried WD40 or oil and only made them worse. Shine reNEW™ will keep them moving freely by dissolving built up residue. There is no need to use abrasive scrubbing materials or pads on your instruments. Just place them in Shine reNEW™ Stain and Rust Remover, and it goes to work. It really is quick and easy to use. Order from your dealer or go to www.Hu-Friedy.com for more information.

Painless Steel®Dental Injection Needles from Transcodent®Painless Steel® Dental Injection Needles from Transcodent® — Some of you might remember one of my early Pearls about the world's sharpest dental needle — the BD Dental Needle. It was made by a huge medical company, which found the dental market too small and quit making the needles. I have found a replacement for the world's sharpest dental needle. Painless Steel® Needles are so sharp that you will not feel the needle penetrate the tissue. The patient will never feel the injection if you slowly administer the anesthetic. The secret is in the three-edge lancet sharpening and the siliconized canula. The needles have threaded hubs that make for easy handling. The hub is marked with an arrow to indicate the position of the needle bevel. They are sterilized with ethylene oxide for highest patient safety, and the needle container is heat-sealed to eliminate the possibility of contamination. They come in all the popular sizes, and are color-coded to match the box in which they are packed. Order through your dental dealer or visit www.painless-steel.com.

OptiBond XTR from Kerr CorporationOptiBond XTR from Kerr Corporation — This is a new self-etch bonding agent that combines the power of a total-etch adhesive with the simplified protocol of a self-etch technique. The chemistry of the enhanced self-etch primer and the optimized adhesive in this two-bottle system brings better bond strengths to uncut enamel and dentin. The combination of Kerr's GPDM monomer and the proprietary Ternary Solvent System in the primer boosts enamel etching, increases penetration, and provides the anchor for better bond performance. The Ternary Solvent System uses a combination of water, acetone, and ethyl alcohol. The water provides a medium for the acid monomer to manifest its acidity — necessary for an effective enamel etch — and it enhances the wetting ability of the primer to facilitate etching and penetration. The rapid evaporation of acetone increases the concentration of water and acidic monomer, and decreases the pH to give better primer etching. The ethyl alcohol enhances the wetting ability of the primer to facilitate penetration. As a result, OptiBond XTR provides great bond strength to all dental substrates in both direct and indirect modes (dentin/enamel, porcelain, precious alloy, nonprecious alloy, zirconia, composite, titanium), and further reduces any risk of postoperative sensitivity. Additionally, its five-micron film thickness and compatibility with self- and dual-cure resin cements/core materials make OptiBond XTR an ideal bonding agent for indirect restorations. This increased utility makes it possible for an office to use a single bonding agent for all restorations. For more information about OptiBond XTR, call (800) KERR.123 or visit www.kerrdental.com.