New ACTIVA BioACTIVE restorative works with tooth structure, actively releases and exchanges calcium

Prompting an invitation to the dental industry to embrace more bioactive dentistry, Pulpdent last week launched its new ACTIVA BioACTIVE restorative at the 2014 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.

According to Pulpdent, up until now restorative materials available to dental professionals for restoring a tooth have done little more than plug a hole. Amalgam, composite and glass ionomer restoratives have had little in common with the tooth structure they replaced, other than the shape and perhaps the color. 

Now, ACTIVA BioACTIVE restorative makes it possible to create restorations that actively release and exchange calcium, phosphate and fluoride ions while being dynamic with the function of the tooth.

The new bioactive restorative also contains the following features:

• Delivers amazingly life-like aesthetics.

• Functions like real tooth structure by absorbing and dispersing forces to deliver exceptional strength.

• Seals with unmatched marginal integrity.

• Requires no bonding agents.

• Contains no Bisphenol A, no Bis-GMA and no BPA derivatives.

Larry Clark, director of clinical affairs and marketing for Pulpdent, led the launch last week saying that the “body is asking for minerals, not more polymers.” So the Pulpdent research team started with the question: “How do we work with the tooth?” The result was ACTIVA.

“ACTIVA isn't merely an incremental improvement over the status quo,” said Ken Berk, Pulpdent president. “It’s a true breakthrough that should, and we think will, change the future of dentistry.”

The key to the performance of ACTIVA products is that they are formulated with a bioactive resin matrix and bioactive fillers. ACTIVA is the only product in the U.S. that the Food and Drug Administration has allowed to make this claim, which means ACTIVA represents an entirely new category of bioactive dental products. 

Clark said the product launch of ACTIVA includes a call to the dental industry to embrace bioactive dentistry for the benefits of both patients and dentists.

“All of this will require change [from the industry],” he said. “We think we’ve simplified it and we wanted to change the industry dynamics for the good. We research. We care.”

“The reality is,” added Dr. John Comisi, who has worked with the new product line, “as [dentists] start using ACTIVA, they will see how simplified the [restorative] process is.”

According to a Pulpdent press release, ACTIVA combines all the benefits of composites and glass inomers while eliminating the disadvantages associated with those materials. ACTIVA BioACTIVE-Restorative combines the esthetics, strength and resilience of composites with bioactive properties and fluoride release that are superior to glass ionomers.

ACTIVA BioACTIVE-Base/Liner has greater fluoride release and bioactive properties than glass ionomers in a strong, resilient resin matrix that will not chip or crumble. It adheres to dentin and does not require etching or bonding agents.

“The tooth is asking for minerals,” said Clark, “and with this product, we’re saying, ‘We have them.’” He also added that the financial cost to dentists using ACTIVA will ultimately be less than using other restorative materials.

ACTIVA products are also the first bioactive dental materials with an ionic resin matrix, a shock-absorbing resin component, and bioactive fillers that mimic the physical and chemical properties of natural teeth. They are durable and wear- and fracture-resistant, chemically bond to teeth, seal against bacterial microleakage, and release and recharge calcium, phosphate and fluoride ions with the surrounding teeth.

According to Clark, ACTIVA BioACTIVE will launch in Europe this week, with the Asia launch coming in the late spring.