REVIEW: GC America’s Fuji TEMP LT™ has excellent handling, low film thickness

Many clinical situations demand a provisional restoration that must serve in function for extended time. Large fixed prosthodontic cases and implant treatment are examples of situations where an easy to handle but retentive and durable temporary cement is required.  GC America has introduced Fuji TEMP LT provisional cement.

This is a glass ionomer based material formulated to have excellent handling characteristics and a very low film thickness. It has numerous beneficial properties that would be expected from a glass ionomer including fluoride recharging, excellent hard and soft tissue compatibility and very high mechanical strength properties.

Because of its tooth like coefficient of thermal expansion and ionic bonding to metals and tooth structure, the maintenance of a marginal seal around the provisional is enhanced. The material also is radiopaque, making detection of interproximal and gingival sulcus excess easy.

Results from the Catapult evaluation

Results from a recent Catapult evaluation revealed that Fuji TEMP LT was well received and 83% of the evaluators would adopt this cement as a material of choice in their practice. Other findings from the survey included:

• The flow and film thickness at initial seating was rated as good as or better than the users’ existing cement by 100% of the evaluators; 82% rated the flow “just right.”

• The ease of clean-up at initial seating was rated as good as or better than the users’ existing cement by 88% of the evaluators.

• Retention was excellent and rated as good as or better than the cement currently used by 88% of the evaluators.

• Removal of remaining cement for the abutment or preparation was rated slightly less favorably and was as good as or better in 66% of the cases.

• 83% gave the cement an overall rating of “Good” or “Excellent.”

As might be expected with a cement designed for long-term function, there was a 31% rating of nearly difficult or difficult for removal of cement from the abutment. However, this is likely a small trade off in having a highly retentive and long lasting provisional cement and may be a perfectly acceptable characteristic for a truly longer term provisional.

Fuji TEMP LT represents an important material for practitioners looking for a solution to an often difficult problem, retention of a provisional restoration for an extended period of time. This material should be considered by anyone looking for a long-term provisional cement solution.

Final thoughts from the Catapult group

• For single units of crowns and onlays with low retention, this cement can help reduce the hassles of lost temporaries and/or the same old, “my temporary came off” the next day.

• An added benefit of Fuji TEMP LT is that it is eugenol free, which is a consideration for many dentists when doing a final cementation.

• For high caries risk patients, if long-term use helps reduce potential caries issues or helps remineralize the tooth, that much the better to implement into your practice.

• For those patients with lower vital molars that you don’t want to numb due to sensitivity in removing the cement, (we all know the hassle of lower molars) this may not be your best option.

Suggestions to the next generation of the product

• Dual Cure, which ultimately leads to faster clean-up

• Clear color added to the options for anterior provisionalization

• Automix syringe versus the dual barrel

About Catapult

Catapult is an organization that consists of more than 50 clinicians spread throughout Canada and the United States. As a company, manufacturers pay a fee for their product to be evaluated and what we deliver are truthful, independent answers from surveys that we develop with them. We have had many products that have either had to be altered before hitting the market or simply never arrived because of our openly honest evaluations. In this way, Catapult assists the manufacturer to avoid potentially releasing a faulty product, or simply a product that needs refinement. Lastly our clients are omnipresent in the industry, small to large, no favoritism, simply reviewing the latest products in our practices.