Strips Crowns in 5 Easy Steps

ACTIVA’s easy handling, flowability, and dual cure properties make it ideal for strip crowns, a fast and economical solution for children and cost-conscious adults. Here’s how to place strip crowns with ACTIVA BioACTIVE-RESTORATIVE in 5 easy steps.

Step 1. Remove decay
Let’s say that a patient comes in with a fractured right central incisor (Fig. 1). Start by removing any decay (Fig. 2). Proximal tooth reduction is not necessary unless there is decay.

Strip Crown Figure 1 — Figure 1. Shows fractured right central incisor

Strip Crown Figure 2 — Figure 2. Decay has been removed. In this case a 2mm short bevel of the enamel edges would be ideal to facilitate a better transition from the material to the tooth.

Step 2: Select strip crown to match size of tooth
Select the strip crown and place incisal edge against the tooth to confirm it is the correct size.

Strip Crown Figure 3 — Figure 3. Ensure strip crown is the correct size

Step 3: Fill strip crown with ACTIVA BioACTIVE-RESTORATIVE
Prepare tooth surface using your usual etching and bonding procedure. Allow material to back fill the cavity. Always keep the tip submerged in the material to eliminate voids. Sheering action of the mix tip eliminates air bubbles.

Strip Crown Figure 4 — Figure 4: Fill strip crown with ACTIVA BioACTIVE-RESTORATIVE

Step 4: Seat the strip crown
It is not necessary to put a relief hole in the incisal area of the strip crown as ACTIVA easily expresses out from the gingival area of the crown form.

Strip Crown Figure 5 — Figure 5: Seat the strip crown

Step 5: Cure and clean up
Tack cure the material on facial and lingual sides and remove the semi-set excess. Then cure for 20 seconds. Remove the crown form from the lingual side with an explorer. Trim and finish.
Tip: If the crown form needs to be sectioned off, make a small slit on the lingual side with a flame shaped finishing bur and peel away.

Strip Crown Figure 6 — Figure 6. Remove crown form

Strip Crown Figure 7 — Figure 7. Completed strip crown restoration

About PULPDENT® Corporation PULPDENT® Corporation is a family-owned dental research, manufacturing company and leader in bioactive dental materials. ACTIVA BioACTIVE™, developed by PULPDENT, is a bioactive restorative material that behaves much like natural teeth and stimulates the formation of apatite (the building blocks of teeth), chemically bonds to teeth and helps protect against decay. PULPDENT celebrates its 70^th anniversary this year with continued commitment to product innovation, clinical education and patient-centered care. To stay updated on bioactivity and learn about the Heroic Dentistry Series, which demonstrates ACTIVA’s unprecedented capabilities, visit the Pulpdent blog.