Sticking to Success in Adhesive Dentistry

It could be said that Dr. Ed Suh, an internationally recognized speaker in general dentistry, sticks with what works when it comes to adhesive dentistry. In his 25 years of practice, he has seldom changed his adhesive products, instead relying on the extensive science backing his favorites and their proven record.

For over a decade, his bonding agent of choice has been All-Bond Universal, a product that was the culmination of over 30 years of adhesive research by BISCO scientists when it emerged in 2012.

“All-Bond Universal presented a whole different series of opportunities that I didn't have with my other adhesives in the past,” he said. “I went with it because it was the most versatile product in adhesive dentistry. It enabled me to use any type of composite that I would like on top of it or use it with any type of cement.”

There are other worthy bonding agents on the market, Dr. Suh acknowledged, but some require that you use it with the same manufacturer’s cement, which may have undesirable properties. “I might like the adhesive, but I don't necessarily like the cement that goes along with it. So, the variability and the flexibility I have with All-Bond Universal to change my options made it pretty attractive for me,” Dr. Suh said.

All-Bond Universal, which bonds to all substrates and can be used for both direct and indirect restorations, is not only compatible with all resin cements—with no additional activator required—but also with light-, dual-, and self-cured materials.

One Product, Many Options

Because of All-Bond Universal's versatility, there is no guesswork involved when the dental team sets up for adhesive procedures.

“In my office, I don't have 2 or 3 different adhesives that I turn to,” Dr. Suh said. “I have 1, and it makes my clinical decisions at chairside very easy for my entire team because it doesn't matter what I'm doing. If I'm going to be bonding something, I have 1 adhesive sitting out there the entire time.”

While such simplicity has enabled a more efficient workflow, it’s not the No. 1 reason Dr. Suh reaches for All-Bond Universal. That would be its ideal chemical balance for both total- and self-etch adhesion.

“The biggest advantage is that I now have the option to go to self-etch or total-etch when I'm working on my patients,” he said. “In the past, I wished I could utilize a combination of the two, but it just wasn't an option prior to a product like All-Bond Universal. Now, even working on the same preparation or the same clinical scenario, I can do part of it total-etch and part self-etch. I could never do that in the past.”

A Partnership Steeped in Science

Despite his long-term loyalty, Dr. Suh wasn’t always sold on the product. When an earlier version was released, he had questions about it and saw that, in time, the product was vetted and improved in response to feedback from the field. In fact, one of the reasons he appreciates BISCO goes beyond the company’s science-based values to its openness and ongoing dialogue with the dental community.

“I’m not sure whether it’s because they're a smaller company, but they have always been transparent and they spend a lot of time helping people understand the science behind the products,” Dr. Suh said. “They've always been about educating the professional side of the industry—and it’s not necessarily about whether or not you're using a BISCO product. Even though they’re a business, I think their standpoint is the more educated the clinicians and the lecturers are regarding the science, the more their products begin to make a lot of sense.”

Today, at his practice, Supremia Dentistry in Wake Forest, NC, Dr. Suh uses All-Bond Universal for everything from occlusive composite restorations to anterior veneer cases. In fact, there are very few procedures that don’t involve All-Bond Universal.

“Almost everything I do in dentistry is adhesively based. I do a lot of ceramics and a lot of composites, so almost everything I do is going to rely upon the strength of my adhesive and my cement for the longevity of those restorations,” he said.

With thousands of All-Bond Universal cases behind him—and having taught the product’s usage in procedures to hundreds of other dentists over the past 8 years at the Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Advanced Dental Studies—it’s safe to say that Dr. Suh can vouch for the product’s success.

“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “Sensitivity is not an issue, and I just don’t see many debonds. We do so much adhesive dentistry in my practice, and if you’re going to see failure, it will usually be in the first 6 months after treatment, and if not, certainly within the first 2 years. And there’s nothing like that. We haven’t skipped a beat this entire time.”

Truly Universal

For Dr. Suh, All-Bond Universal represents a game changer in a field known for its complexity and inherent risks. “Because clinical dentistry is so finicky and difficult, and just so high management, there are very often clinical errors that occur,” he said. “But I think the flexibility of All-Bond Universal just makes it easier to avoid those common pitfalls that many doctors may be facing.”

His advice to other dentists working with him in practice or at LVI is to choose a product that enables flexibility in treatment delivery, as this can significantly reduce the likelihood of mistakes.

“In terms of flexibility, no matter what procedure I’m doing or what materials I’m using—whether light-cure, dual-cure, self-etch, total-etch—or needing to bond to various surfaces that we deal with in dentistry, this product is about as universal as you could really want or ask for,” he said.