Frequently Asked Questions

Impressions

What is Blue Moose?
What is Alpha Bite?
What Danville product is comparable to Blue Moose?
Can you do a full arch impression with First Quarter Star VPS Monophase?
What can you do with Star VPS Clear polyvinyl siloxane?
What is the Kois impression technique?

Bonding Agents

How/when do you use MicroPrime and what is it NOT compatible with?
What is the difference between MicroPrime G and MicroPrime B?
Does Prelude SE work well for IDS (immediate dentin sealing)? If yes, what is the recommended technique?
For Cerec, is there an advantage of using Prelude SE compared to other bonds?
Why is Prelude SE not made radiopaque?
Can Link be used with other bonding agents?

Flowable Composites

When do you use Starflow, Starflow PV, Accolade, and Aria?
What is the difference between Starflow and Starflow PV or Accolade and Accolade PV?
Are Starflow and Accolade compatible with all adhesives?
How much Starflow or Accolade should be used for posterior composites?
What does Liquid Lens do?

Tin Plating

When do I need to tin plate?
My tin-plating solution expiration date is still 1 year away. Why is it no longer effective?
Does the new Alloy Primer work as well as Tin Plating?

Microetchers and Sandblasting

Will aluminum oxide damage my vacuum system in my operatories? Are there any known long term effects?
How much does sandblasting add to bond strength of Panavia to metals?
Do you sell replacement parts for your MicroCab, MicroCab+, and Macrocab?
What is the difference between MicroEtcher II and Microetcher IIA?

Temporary Restorations

What is the technique for making temporaries with Star VPS Clear?

Sectional Matrix Systems

What is the thicknesses of the Contact Matrix?
What is the different applications for Stiff Flex and Thin Flex Matrix?
What are the advantages of the Danville rings? How do these compare with Palodent's?
After using the Danville Contact Rings for a few weeks the tines are no longer close together. Am I doing something wrong? Can the ring be fixed?
What are the MegaRings?

GENERAL

Can I order your products directly from you? Can I order them from your website?

What is Blue Moose?

Blue Moose is a Parkell product that has been around for many years. It is a fast setting, addition silicone (VPS) that has a high durometer reading (high hardness). It has been advocated for bite registration as well as several closed bite impression techniques, especially what has been called the "laminar technique".

What is Alpha Bite?

This is a bite registration material similar to Blue Moose (Parkell).

What Danville product is comparable to Blue Moose?

Danville's Star VPS "Stiff Bite" compares to Blue Moose and to Blue Velvet (the original Blue Moose, taken over and renamed by J Morita USA). It is Danville's humble opinion that the properties of Stiff Bite are generally better than those of the competition products. One look at its very smooth polymerized surface will most likely convince you. Try breaking it, you are likely to be further convinced.

Can you do a full arch impression with First Quarter Star VPS Monophase?

Yes, if you are a "fast gun". This is a very fast setting material that lots of clinicians use in place of alginate. They claim its faster as well as far more accurate. No clean up mess! By the way, First Quarter Monophase is the same product in a newer style cartridge. If you wish to slow done some, consider using First Half Monophase.

What can you do with Star VPS Clear polyvinyl siloxane?

The two most frequently used applications are for making anterior composite temporaries and for replication of the occlusion in placing posterior composites. In both cases, composite is light cured through the Clear VPS.

What is the Kois impression technique?

This is a "two viscosity" impression technique that involves using Star VPS Ultraheavy and Ultralight in combination. The Ultraheavy on the tray hydraulically pushes the Ultralight on the tooth. A non-perforated tray helps with the hydraulic pressure. The Ultralight is at the technical limit of low viscosity (very runny). These materials were made to the specifications of Dr. John Kois of Seattle.

How/when do you use MicroPrime and what is it NOT compatible with?

There are no known incompatibilities. Microprime was designed to enhance bond systems using total etch. It is applied after etching and either dried or left wet depending on the instructions for use of the bond. One famous clinician/teacher recommends MicroPrime be used as a disinfectant prior to applying self-etching problems

What is the difference between MicroPrime G and MicroPrime B?

Microprime G uses glutaraldehyde as the disinfectant while Microprime B uses benzathonium chloride. Both contain HEMA. Both products work well as desensitizers.

Does Prelude SE work well for IDS (immediate dentin sealing)? If yes, what is the recommended technique?

Prelude SE is an ideal material for IDS. We prefer to place both Prelude #1 and #2, light curing #2. Then place Liquid Lens (or some other oxygen barrier) and cure again. That will assure no unpolymerized surface layer. Then make the impression and use non-eugenol temporary cement. Gentle sandblasting is a handy way to remove the temporary cement at cementation time. We recommend phosphoric etch and rinse, then Prelude #2 only (omit #1), light cure, Link, air blow, then the composite cement of your choice. Many customers report success with our Stafill 2B as the cement.

For Cerec, is there an advantage of using Prelude SE compared to other bonds?

Absolutely, Prelude SE is so thin that it may be applied and light cured after scanning, while the restoration is being milled. It is nice to be able to place the Cerec powder on a clean tooth, not on some gooey bonding agent. Prelude SE is a clear winner here; we do not know of a competitive material that is so thin as to allow this procedure.

Why is Prelude SE not made radiopaque?

Prelude SE is so thin that it can not be seen on x-ray, unlike many competitive products which can be 10 to 100 times thicker.

Can Link be used with other bonding agents?

While we have not tested Link with all products, we expect that it would work well with all self-etching primer systems. We have confirmed that Link works well with Clearfil SE Bond and Tokuyama Bond Force.

When do you use Starflow, Starflow PV, Accolade, and Aria?

Starflow, Starflow PV, Accolade and Accolade PV are microhybrid flowables. Starflow is lower in viscosity (more runny) than Accolade. The regular Vita shades and PV shades differ only in shade. The filler compares to that of Kerr's Herculite. Aria is a reinforced, non-radiopaque, microfilled flowable. Its filler compares to Silux and Durafill.

Starflow and Accolade are supplied in common Vita shades while Starflow PV and Accolade PV are supplied in 6 veneer shades, "dialed-in" by our Consultant, Dr. Ray Bertolotti. Customers tell us that the six shades suffice for their veneer needs. The remarkable property of Starflow is its very high strength. According to CRA (May 1998 CRA Newsletter) it's equivalent to Herculite. We are very proud of this achievement. The most common use is as a first increment of composite in class I and class II composites. It's radiopacity compares to Herculite. Accolade has similar strength to Starflow.

A special version of Accolade, known as Acolade SRO, is Super RadiOpaque. There are 3 shades. These are intended for the first composite increment when ultra high radiopacity is desired. Esthetics are slightly below the high standard of Accolade so the SRO is recommended only for first increments and tunnel fillings.

Aria is indicated when sustained high polish, typical of a microfill, outweighs lower strength. It is especially indicated for facial surfaces where polish is important. Aria compares to Cosmedent's Renamel, a fine product. However we invite price comparison.

What is the difference between Starflow and Starflow PV or Accolade and Accolade PV?

Only the shades (see above).

Are Starflow and Accolade compatible with all adhesives?

We are not aware of any incompatible combinations of adhesive with Starflow or Accolade..

How much Starflow or Accolade should be used for posterior composites?

A basic rule is to use a thin (Dycal-like thickness) as the first increment over a fully cured bond. That procedure assures that the Starflow or Accolade can shrink toward the "bonded surface". After placement and curing of the first increment, many clinicians prefer to place more Starflow or Accolade rather than condense ordinary composite to fill the bulk of the cavity. The high mechanical properties of these flowable composites make them suitable for such use. The wear resistance of Starflow and Accolade, while reported by users to be excellent, has not been demonstrated in a controlled clinical trial. Therefore Danville does not officially recommend it as a final occlusal composite layer.

What does Liquid Lens do?

Liquid Lens is a glycerine gel. It is blue colored to increase visibility while not attenuating blue light. The glycerine serves as an oxygen block, allowing composites to be cured without oxygen inhibition. In addition, it is used as a separator in the Bertolotti/Fusayama bite formed composite technique.

When do I need to tin plate?

Tin plating has been shown to dramatically improve the bond strength of metal adhesives (such as Panavia) to noble metal alloys. When a non-precious alloy is plated, the tin generally has no effect. If a non-precious alloy is plated, no harm is done so "if in doubt about what alloy is being used, as is often the case for repairs, just plate it".

My tin-plating solution expiration date is still 1 year away. Why is it no longer effective?

The solution usually lasts past the expiration date. Heat and light are its enemies.

Does the new Alloy Primer work as well as Tin Plating?

Data we have seen indicates that both produce similar results.

Will aluminum oxide damage my vacuum system in my operatories? Are there any known long term effects?

While a common worry, there have been no confirmed reports of vacuum systems being damaged. Apparently the separators used for other particulates work well for aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide itself is classified as a nuisance hazard, not a toxic material. We are not aware of any toxic hazards.

How much does sandblasting add to bond strength of Panavia to metals?

Microetcher use can add as much as 400% bond strength to metals bonded with Panavia.

Do you sell replacement parts for your MicroCab, MicroCab+, and Macrocab?

Generally we can supply replacement parts. For really old dust cabinets (discontinued models), we might not be able to supply parts due to lack of availability from our parts supplier. Please call or e-mail Customer Service.

What is the difference between MicroEtcher II and Microetcher IIA?

Model IIA is fully autoclavable after removing the air hose and the plastic abrasive jar. On Model II, only the detachable tip is autoclavable. (Helpful hint: Buy a second tip so that you can be ready quickly for another patient.)

What is the technique for making temporaries with Star VPS Clear?

Before anterior preps, take the impression being sure go about 2 teeth past the prep tooth on both sides. After the prep, place composite in the Clear VPS and seat it. Light cure. Sometimes a "trial" seating will allow you to remove excess composite if you use a normal composite such as Durafil or Silux. If using a flowable composite, you may not remove the impression to remove excess.

What is the thicknesses of the Contact Matrix?

Danville supplies two thicknesses: 0.0015 inch known as "thin" and 0.0023 known as "stiff". While we are considering thickness, we believe that thickness is more important to achieving contour then to achieving tight contacts. To demonstrate the lack of concern for thickness,just place two or three Contact Matrices "stacked" together and a Contact Ring. After placing the filling you are likely to note a tight contact. That is due to the fact that the ring is a powerful separator, separating teeth far more than the thickness of the matrices.

What is the different applications for Stiff Flex and Thin Flex Matrix?

The thin matrix is usually used for composites. The stiff is often used for amalgams since condensation forces will not as easily displace it. Some users report that the stiff matrix is useful when the contact is not completely broken with a bur. It inserts more easily thru such contacts than does the flex.

What are the advantages of the Danville rings? How do these compare with Palodent's?

The most important difference between Danville's Contact ring and Palodent's BiTine ring is the convergence of the tines on Danville's ring. This convergence retains the ring and prevents "pop-offs".In addition, Danville offers forward and reserve orientations of the ring, allowing the ring to go in either direction from the prep. This is feature is not offered by Palodent. The third difference is the occlusal offset of the Danville ring, allowing stacking of the rings.

After using the Danville Contact Rings for a few weeks the tines are no longer close together. Am I doing something wrong? Can the ring be fixed?

The Contact Rings will indeed "splay" is abused. We find that if the rings are not expanded more than required to span typical molars, they will elastically return to their original shape. The most frequent cause of splay is dental assistants pre-loading the ring on the forcep, expanding them well beyond what is required. Danville elected to use an alloy with a very low chance of fracture in use. Such fracture is often seen on one of our competitors rings. The trade-off is that they can not be abused. Should they splay, a simple correction with pliers will close the ring. While the alloy does not readily work harden, we advise that not more than a few such corrections be made to prevent the possibility of fracture.

Danville’s new MegaRing solves this problem. Advanced metallurgy prevents the splay while maintaining fracture resistance. The cross section of the ring was computer designed to minimize stress on the rings.

What are the MegaRings?

The MegaRing is somewhat larger in diameter than the original Contact Ring (about the size of Garrison's large rings). They have improved metallurgy to prevent splay and provide very strong separation forces. The also will be successful for spanning wider preps that any other system can accomplish. Like the Contact Rings, MegaRings are supplied on two versions, color coded for easy identification.

Can I order your products directly from you? Can I order them from your website?

Danville encourages sales by its dealer network. However if the dealer cannot supply what is needed, Danville will accept the order and if you prefer, place the order through your dealer on your behalf. It is often most expedient to order replacement parts through Customer Service at Danville. The Danville web site is not set up for sales.

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