DENTAL NETWORK

Safe dental materials – South African list

In consultation with health-conscious dentists, the following list of dental materials in South Africa was compiled. Some of the options below are chosen based on current availability, rather than first choice. We have attempted, to the best of our ability, to ascertain their low toxicity rating.

If you have any information to suggest otherwise on any of the material, please let us know by e-mailing us.

When in doubt and if available, always go with one of Dr Clarks suggestions for fillings and crowns


Anaesthetics

  • Carbocaine 3% injection without vasoconstrictor (sulfite-free and epinephrine-free) by KODAK. Make sure it is the one without the vasoconstrictor.

Bonding agents

  • Diamond Bond by DRM RESEARCH LABORATORIES (this however does contain HEXA).

 

Cements

  • Permanent Cement
    • KETAC-cement
  • Temporary Cement
    • Zinc Phosphate (tradename Duralon)
    • Temp Bond N.E by KERR

 

Composite Fillings

  • Permanent Fillings
    • TPH by DENTSPLY
    • Diamond Lite by DRM RESEARCH LABORATORIES (this needs to be placed by a dentist experienced with Diamond Lite)
    • FILTEK Z250 by 3M/ESPE (third choice)
  • Temporary Fillings
    • KETAC-Molar

 

Crowns (permanent crowns)

  • Belleglass
  • Diamond Crown DRM RESEARCH LABORATORIES.
  • Empress
  • Heliomolar
  • SR Adoro by IVOCLAR-VIVADENT (this is a 2nd generation of Targis. Targis is cleared by Dr Clark)
  • Zirconium Oxide (LAVA, Procera) is possibly an option also.

 

Crowns (temporary crowns)

 

Denture Materials
Must be clear, or cadmium-free and monomer-free. Rather choose:
  • Flexite  or Valplast – best choice by far, acrylic free
  • Flexite MP (monomer-free)
Disinfecting
  • Ozone for disinfecting cavities, and after amlagam removal
  • Dental bleach
    • Milton’s: dilute 1:10

 

Glass Ionomer A glass ionomer is used to form a layer underneath composite fillings. It is advised to put a layer of this underneath composites to prevent decay occurring and more especially to reduce sensitivity.

  • KETAC-Molar by 3M/ESPE is a glass ionomer and we favour its use because it is metal-free, and forms a strong covalent bond, which is a calcium to calcium bond. Covalent bonds are formed as a result of the sharing of one or more pairs of bonding electrons, in this case calcium. This is a more natural type of bond.

 

Impression materials

 

Notes on marking the margins of crowns, and materials to consider:
This is an important step when impressions for the permanent crown are taken. A thin piece of string is used to push the gums back to provide extra space so that accurate margins of the crown can be marked. The more accurate the margins, the less chance of bacteria invading the space and causing decay. When this process is done however it causes bleeding and you need something to stop it with a haemostatic substance. There are 2 options.
1).   Electric cauterization: Here an electric current is used to stop the bleeding. The upside is no chemicals, the downside is the brief smell of tissue burning and
2).   Using Chemical haemostatic substances, such as:
  • Astringident: Ferric Sulphate, with or without a vasocontrictor epinephrine/adrenaline (choose the one without a vasocontrictor);
  • ViscoStat: 20% Iron Sulphate or 25% Aluminum chloride, these make the gums go black for a while;

 

 

Dr Clark’s list of safe dental materials