Dr. Ian Shuman, DDS, MAGD, AFAAID

I’ve been looking for the one: the one bonding agent that can cover every situation, regardless of material. The problem is, having a drawer full of bonding agents can make most adhesive procedures overly complicated. As a practice owner and sole practitioner, I’m always looking for new materials and products that will help control and cut costs. In addition, it’s critical that I make the most of my time when treating patients. I don’t always get cost and time-savings in the same product and that holds true for bonding agents as well.

As a hobbyist and gadget freak at heart, I hold on to everything, because I’ll never know when I might need it in the future.  My “homemade” composite resin bonding kits are much the same: an assembly of fourth through seventh generation bonding agents, microbrushes, and syringes of etching gel. Yet, at a minimum, today’s practicing dentist will have two bonding systems: one for direct, light cure composite and one for dual cure cases.

What has been missing is a universal bonding system that is applicable in all situations. Just dump all those loose bottles and tubes of your resin bonding systems, or at least use them up fast. You’ll be saving a lot of room and money because a brand new, universal bonding system is now available that offers some incredible benefits; and it’s aptly named UNIVERSAL BOND from Tokuyama.

Tokuyama UNIVERSAL BOND is a two component self-cured dental adhesive system for direct and indirect restorations. Here’s how to use it:

1. Mix the two drops together
2. Apply it to the bondable surfaces
3. (Apply weak air continuously to the surface until the runny bond stays in the same position without any movement then mild (medium) air to the surface)

Notice what’s typically missing from this instruction list? No surface agitation and no light curing! This allows for worry-free polymerization where curing lights cannot reach. It also does not require surface agitation or wait time after placement. A quick and easy application reduces chair time, especially in multi-tooth preparations.

If you were to take an average of 10 restorations per day, working four days per week and avoid the 10 second (minimum) light curing and 10 second agitation per restoration, it would save you exactly 10.66.33 hours per year. That is over an entire working day!

I have had the opportunity to use this amazing bonding system and it has fulfilled every promise: I have not had any debonds, sensitivity, or the other myriad issues that can occur with bonding agents.   

As a review on the quick and easy application of Tokuyama UNIVERSAL BOND:

1. No need to light cure for 10-20 seconds
2. No need to agitate on surface for 10-20 seconds
3. No need to wait between placement and air-dry polymerization step
4. Reliable

It is also compatible with all etching techniques: total, self, or selective-etch, dual and self-cure materials without the use of a separate activator and as a primer for silica-based and/or zirconia-based and metallic restorations. This truly is a universal bonding agent.

It has been designed to be fully compatible with light-cured, self-cured and dual-cured composite materials. As a true universal adhesive, Tokuyama UNIVERSAL BOND does not require additional activators or primers, saving inventory costs and hassle.

Tokuyama UNIVERSAL BOND has high bond strength to various surfaces & substrates. It offers excellent cavity adaptation, preventing voids. By separating the acidic monomer (Bond A) & ceramic primers (Bond B), deterioration of the often volatile silane coupling agent is prevented. This provides superb bond strength to ceramic, PFMs, lithium disilicate, and zirconia.

Tokuyama UNIVERSAL BOND offers high bond strength to polymerizable resin material (adhesive resin cement, acrylic resin and composite resin) to indirect restorative materials such as glass-ceramics (porcelain), oxide-ceramics (zirconia and alumina), metals (precious and non-precious) and resin materials including inorganic filler. It has virtually no post-op sensitivity.   

So how does this miracle resin bonding system work? Through a process known as “Active Chemistry” self cure. Active Chemistry is superior to the conventional chemical polymerization initiator, a benzoyl peroxide/amine system, because it exhibits high catalytic activity under strongly acidic conditions. A thin bonding layer forms after drying because of rapid progression of polymerization and curing on its adhesive interface (self-cure), when it comes into contact with resin materials such as composite resin.  That’s about as far as I understand the process – but check it out for yourself. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.