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by Dr Monte McEntyre, Jetty Dental, Coffs Harbour, NSW
I had seen videos for these bands online and a couple of my dentist mates were using them. When the owner of our practice purchased the Greater Curve bands, I was keen to give them a go.
What’s good about it
One of the biggest advantages is that in nine out of 10 cases, wedges are not needed. So, that’s one less thing that can go wrong. The bands are shaped to tighten around the base of the tooth and give a really good apical seal. Even if the tooth is quite broken down, these bands hook into the base and keep their flare. It lets you create a nice restoration.
Workflow is faster when using these bands. Other bands require a build-up in two separate steps. The band would have to sit right down on a deep sub-gingival filling and a sectional band was often needed for the next section. The Greater Curve bands’ greater coronal flare allows tight contacts so there’s no food packing and the risks of recurrent decay or periodontal issues are minimised. I’ve also found I don’t need to use a rubber dam as frequently as they effectively isolate the tooth.
I’ve been using Greater Curve for around six months and the results have been consistently good. I estimate I would probably use them with 90 per cent of cases. There are several different types and sizes of bands that can be used in a wide variety of situations.
What’s not so good
In some cases, when dealing with a deep sub-gingival filling, you need to adjust them to get the extension you need. Sometimes, a completely different band is required.
