OptiBond All-In-One FAQs

OptiBond All-In-One is a light-cured self-etching adhesive that combines the ingredients needed for etching, priming and bonding into a single solution. Categorized as a 7th generation bonding agent, OptiBond All-In-One can be used for bonding both direct and indirect restorations.

Here are some frequently asked questions:

Q. Why is the air drying procedure for OptiBond All-In-One call for gentle then medium pressure?
A. OptiBond All-In-One adhesive starts with a low viscosity which increases as the solvent evaporates. Immediate aggressive air drying may blow away the adhesive layer and adversely affect product performance.

Q. Describe the procedure when using OptiBond All-In-One with core build-up material.
A. After light curing OptiBond All-In-One, apply a layer (no greater than 2mm increment) of core build-up material and light cure. Then, for a dual-cure core material, a bulk amount of core material may be placed on top. For a light-cure core material, continue incrementally (no greater than 2mm) building-up the core material or place the amount of core material consistent with its depth of cure. Use only light-cure or dual-cure Core materials with OptiBond AIO. Core-buildup material with only self-cure mechanism is not recommended for OptiBond AIO.

Q. What is the pH level of OptiBond All-In-One?
A. The pH level at the start of application is 2.5-3.0 and will decrease during application and further decrease to about 2.0 after air drying. After light curing, the acidity of the cured adhesive will significantly decrease (or pH will rise). It is difficult to measure the pH level of cured material since it becomes a solid that is not soluble in water.

Q. How much material is in each OptiBond All-In-One Unidose device?
A. Approximately .18 - .20 ml enough material for about 3 applications.

Q. Can other self-etch self-adhering cements (including GI or RMGI) be used with OptiBond All-In-One for indirect restorations where there is little or no light accessibility?
A. No. Maxcem Elite is the only self-etching/self-adhesive resin cement due to its proprietary acid resistant initiator system. However, NX3 dual-cure is the other resin cement compatible with OptiBond All-In-One for this particular situation.

Q. Why is NX3 resin cement recommended for indirect dark-cure situations following application of OptiBond All-In-One?
A. NX3 is the only resin cement on the market today that employ a proprietary redox initiator system that is acid resistant and self-cures efficiently in the presence of acidic monomers.

Q. How many applications are in the 5ml OptiBond All-In-One bottle?
A. Approximately 30-40 applications.

Q. Why is it necessary to refrigerate OptiBond All-In-One adhesive?
A. Refrigeration is necessary for almost all self-etch materials that are quite acidic. Refrigeration helps to maintain product performance throughout the stated shelf-life.

Q. Gordon Christiansen recommends not to light-cure the adhesive layer when cementing veneers. Why do the OptiBond All-In-One directions call for light curing before cementing a veneer?
A. There are two bonding protocols available for clinicians. For 7th generation adhesives, we believe light-curing the adhesive first would enhance the bond strength as long as the film thickness of cured adhesive is low. We have the same instructions for both Optibond All-In-One and OptiBond Solo Plus adhesives since both products have low film thickness.

Q. Can other resin cements be used with OptiBond All-In-One in a dark-cure situation?
A. NX3 is the only dual-cure resin cement that can be used at this time with OptiBond All-In-One adhesive due to its proprietary initiator system that is compatible with the newer generation, more acidic self-etch adhesives.

Q. What is the significance of the OptiBond All-In-One ternary solvent system?
A. Effective enamel etching for superior bonding efficacy to both dentin and enamel; Enhanced material shelf-life stability for performance that will not degrade before its expiry date; Homogeneous layer adhesive maintains a uniform layer as solvents are removed during air drying.

Q. What makes the OptiBond All-In-One solvent system more unique than solvent systems of other 7th generation adhesives?
A. OptiBond All-In-One employs a ternary solvent system comprised of water, ethanol and acetone. The acetone acts as the facilitator bringing the monomers, fillers and solvents together. As the acetone evaporates, the alcohol helps to keep the hydrophobic monomers in a homogeneous solution with water, minimizing phase separation and void formation. Without alcohol, phase separation will occur.

Q. Can you phosphoric acid etch enamel before using OptiBond All-In-One? Will this procedure increase bond strengths?
A. Yes, you can acid etch enamel before using OptiBond All-In-One and bond strengths will be increased. One should confine the phosphoric aid etching to enamel (away from dentin).

Q. Can a dentist now use Maxcem Elite to cement veneers using Optibond All-In-One?
A. Maxcem Elite is a dual-cure resin cement consisting of a base and catalyst paste. The intraoral working time may be too fast for seating multiple veneer units. However, NX3 dual-cure or light-cure are both OptiBond All-In-One compatible and offer phenomenal color stability, making them the right choice for seating veneers with OptiBond All-In-One.

Q. How long can a Unidose device be left opened without solvent evaporation and material degradation?
A. The Unidose device has only a minimal amount of material that should be used only on one patient during that appointment time.

Q. What is the film thickness of OptiBond All-In-One?
A. Approximately 5 microns after light curing.

Q. Does OptiBond All-In-One cure with halogen and LED lights?
A. Yes. OptiBond All-In-One contains a CQ photo-initiator and can be light cured effectively with either a conventional QTH halogen or newer LED curing light technology.

Q. Can OptiBond All-In-One be used as a sealant?
A. Optibond All-In-One itself is not a pit and fissure sealant. However, it can be used in combination with a sealant to enhance the seal by increasing the bond strength.

Q. Can a dual-cure activator be used with OptiBond All-In-One?
A. A dual-cure activator is not recommended. The use of NX3 eliminates the need for an activator for indirect applications where there is little or no light.