Bob Conte Since moving from the Bluecam AC over to the new Omnicam, I very rarely have the need to physically retract the gingiva prior to the digital impression. The crispness and accuracy of the Omnicam allow for very easy distinction between tooth structure and gingiva. Margination is effortless if you have prepared the tooth well.
However, there are times when decay or fracture will take you subgingivally and you can be left with a bloody mess. In these instances retraction gels such as Traxodent (Premier), Expasyl (Kerr) and the new retraction capsule by 3M are very effective. These products are all excellent for achieving rapid hemostasis prior to imaging. I prefer the 3M product for the following reasons. The small capsule will fit into a standard composite gun so additional guns or tips to buy. The extra fine tip fits easily into the sulcus allowing for nice gingival deflection. Lastly, the 3M system rinses off easily and completely.
All of these products are much easier to use than retraction cord. Give one a try.
