AlignerFlow LC
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AlignerFlow_LC_US_0723_single_pages_U.S._4 Reality 2
3 MB
7
Overall
4.5
Strengths
- Good product that helps to eliminate the potential for enamel damage when removing buttons, material handling was ideal and easy to dispense with syringe tips.
- Being able to see the excess material while debonding and bonding.
- The fluorescence was good as I was still able to see it a bit even with the light from handpiece on.
- The fluorescent property.
- Strong bond.
- Fluorescence for material removal and removing flash to allow better seating of trays.
- Its standout feature is the ability to clearly detect the excess flowable composite around the buttons under UV light. Normally, composite overflow from attachment templates can create major issues with aligner seating. Detecting these excesses often takes a lot of time because the flowable composite color blends in with the tooth surface. In some cases, it may even be mistaken as an aligner fit problem, leading to unnecessary requests for a new aligner series. When I first tried this product, I had some concerns about its handling, but once I used the UV light, I was genuinely impressed. I could easily spot and remove the excess composite, even in a brightly lit room. This significantly reduced chair time. In addition, during attachment debonding, I achieved an excellent surface clean-up with the help of the UV light. The product packaging and instructions are outstanding. I also appreciated the availability in different colors and the well-thought-out syringe design. Out of approximately 80 attachment bondings, I experienced only one failure, most likely because I did not apply a sufficient amount of material at that moment, which resulted in no proper bonding to the tooth surface and the composite remaining inside the attachment template. For the rest of the attachments, even after a considerable period of time, no failure has occurred. Another great advantage is that, despite frequent insertion and removal of the aligners, there has been no significant wear on the attachments. Most importantly, the ability to clearly visualize the composites with the UV light—its best feature—will make this product a permanent choice in my clinical practice.
Weaknesses
- None.
- More variety of shades would have been ideal to better match a range of tooth shades.
- Some of the buttons debonded within 24 hours.
- Colors are a little opaque and I would prefer it to be more viscous.
- None.
- None.
- Not enough color choices.
- Slightly too viscous—I would have preferred a lower viscosity.
- The material is a bit sticky and has a thick consistency. Because of its stickiness, when adding composite from one negative space to another, it sometimes spreads onto the buccal surfaces of the teeth through the attachment plate, which makes handling more challenging. In addition, its thicker consistency means that, in attachment designs with sharp edges, the composite does not easily flow into the corners by itself, requiring the clinician to push the material into place with a probe. However, thanks to the product’s resistance to wear and the ease of cleaning off excess material, I believe these weaknesses are tolerable in clinical practice.
BOTTOM LINE
- We applaud Voco in bringing to the market a product that expressly tackles a problem that is rarely discussed in a transparent manner — enamel scarring when removing composite buttons. Although its indications list bonding of lingual retainers, we also believe it could be very useful as a ceramic bracket luting agent.
- Good material for buttons but no major advantage over other flowable composites.
- Works as advertised, easy to distinguish between button and enamel when removing, eliminating the potential for enamel damage. Syringe tip makes application easy.
- Happy to use it again for future patients.
- I think it’s generally a great product if the shade match is done well and for attachments that fluoresce well.
- An outstanding material that fulfills a long needed part of dentistry. What about a self-cure/dual-cure material for brackets?
- Good material.
- I like it.
- There are better materials out there.
- Despite a few minor weaknesses in handling, the product’s unique UV light feature, excellent wear resistance, and ease of clean-up make it a game-changer in clinical practice. It has already become a tool I would confidently choose for my future cases.
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