Consultants’ Comments

• “Consistent, trustworthy product.”
• “Very complete kit.”
• “Easy to follow illustrated instructions.”
• “Great shade selection.”
• “Excellent viscosity.”
• “Ease to clean after snap set.”
• “When seating an inlay, it is difficult to transfer the cement from the mixing pad to the prepared tooth.”
• “Refrigeration of catalyst is inconvenient.”
• “Include try-in pastes with the kit.”
• “I prefer a dual-barrel syringe (automix) system.”

Description

Variolink II is dual-cured/light-cured resin cement for luting indirect ceramic and composite restorations. It has excellent physical properties, high abrasion resistance, high radiopacity, and desirable optical properties. The cement consists of separate syringes of base and catalyst pastes. The base paste is light curable and can be used alone to lute thin or translucent restorations like veneers. The catalyst paste allows the cement to dual cure under thick or opaque restorations; working time after mixing is three minutes. The base pastes are supplied in six shades: Bleach XL, White, White Opaque, Transparent, Yellow (A3), and Brown (A4). Catalyst pastes are Transparent and Yellow, each in high and low viscosities. The Variolink II kit contains six syringes of base; four syringes of catalyst; phosphoric acid gel (37%); ExciTE DSC, a dual-cured, single component, single-dose bonding agent; Liquid Strip, a glycerin gel which helps eliminate the presence of the air-inhibited layer; and Monobond Plus, a primer that promotes an adhesive bond between the luting cement and all types of indirect restorative materials. An illustrated instruction card is included it the kit. Try-in pastes are available separately. Twenty consultants used Variolink II over a six-month period to lute over 300 restorations. It received a 97% clinical rating.

Product Features

Variolink II has been considered the gold standard for resin cements. The comments from 20 consultants who used Variolink II were overwhelmingly positive regarding the instructions, laminated technique guide, packaging, completeness of the kit, esthetics, and shade selection. The choice of viscosities allows customization of the cement to the restorative situation. Working time with the mixed material is adequate for placing multiple restorations. A quick tack cure allows easy cleanup of excess cement. Some consultants noted that a dual-barreled syringe with a mixing tip would result in an improvement of the delivery system and the ease of dispensing. Sixty percent of consultants reported that Variolink II was better than what they were using, while 40% said it was equivalent. Seventy percent of consultants reported that they would recommend Variolink II and 60% would switch to it.

Editors’ Note:

The original evaluation of Variolink II was published in THE DENTAL ADVISOR, Vol. 18, No. 3, April 2001.