Cavex ColorChange

Consultants’ Comments

• “The self-measuring water dispenser is unique, accurate and very nice.”
• “Very few bubbles.”
• “It doesn’t seem to inadvertently flow down the throat.”

Description

Cavex ColorChange is an all-purpose alginate featuring a three-step color shift from the start of mix to placement to completed set. The product is appropriate for all traditional alginate impression uses. Cavex ColorChange is dust-free and may be mixed by hand or in an auto-mixer. Distilled water is recommended to standardize the color shifts and setting time. With a 30-second hand-mix, the total setting time is approximately 2 minutes 15 seconds (1 minute in the mouth). The manufacturer states that multiple pours of impressions may be made, and if placed in an airtight plastic bag, pouring of gypsum may be delayed up to five days without sacrificing accuracy or detail. The starter kit includes three, 500-g bags of alginate powder; scoop; storage canister; water measure; bowl; spatula; and cleaner. Single-dose packs are available. Cavex ColorChange was used in over 300 applications by 27 consultants. This product received a 96% clinical rating.

Product Features

The viscosity and smoothness of the mix, ease of loading trays, firmness of the set material, lack of bubbles, and model quality were ranked highly. The powder and water combined readily with hand mixing and produced a smoothly-textured gel. The color change feature was new to some clinicians and received favorable comments. The powder canister holds one bag of alginate with a place inside the lid to store the scoop. The canister has a tight seal to prevent moisture contamination of the powder. Eighty-two percent of reporting clinical consultants found Cavex ColorChange to be equal to or better than their current alginate, 71% would switch, and 76% would recommend Cavex ColorChange to colleagues.

Clinical Tips

• For patients with a strong gag reflex, sprinkle a bit more powder into the mix to make it more viscous.
• Giving some material to the patient to watch the color change provides some distraction.

Editors’ Note: The original evaluation was published in THE DENTAL ADVISOR, Vol. 24, No. 10, December 2007.