A clinician reviews BISCO's TheraCal LC flowable composite

Dr. Lee Ann Brady's take on using BISCO's TheraCal LC flowable composite.

Dr. Lee Ann Brady has been around long enough to have learned amalgam as the go-to operative material. In those early days when she encountered deep decay she would follow a process of applying calcium hydroxide to the deep areas of the prep and expected good results in the formation of a dentinal bridge and survival of the pulp. When dentists transitioned to composite, products like Dycal (calcium hydroxide) and Copalite disappeared. But for Dr. Brady it felt like there had been a void in her ability to pulp cap in the instance of deep decay under a composite. But that was before she began using BISCO’s TheraCal LC.

How long have you used TheraCal LC and how did you first hear about it?
I started using it from a sample early this year and I was not sure what to expect. I have felt like there has been a gap in what I can offer my patients who have deep caries since we stopped using Dycal.

What do you like most about this product?
Having a product that can help the tooth heal itself, create a new dentin bridge, reduce the possibility of pulpal death and subsequent endo was important to me. I have been using it routinely for both indirect and direct pulp caps with phenomenal results.

What results have you experienced since using TheraCal LC in your practice?
My experience is minimal to no post-operative sensitivity and a dramatic decrease in sending patients for endo. I am able to immediately place the composite filling over the TheraCal, so there is no need for a second appointment and removal of the material, which retraumatizes the tooth and increases the effort and inconvenience for the patient.

Would you encourage other doctors who aren’t using the product to give it a try?
Yes I would. The handling properties are very similar to flowable, and dispensed in a syringe with a small tip it is easy to place in even the deepest areas of the prep. It’s viscosity allows it to stay where it is placed. I place a small increment and then spread it with the tip of a perio probe. The material is then light cured so it sets immediately and does not delay the placement of the restoration. My hope would be to catch the decay before I need to consider pulp capping, but unfortunately I ask for the TheraCal frequently, it is a must-have product in my office.