I want to thank Don Bell, the Director of Marketing CAD/CAM for Ivoclar Vivadent for his strong presence on the boards at cerecdoctors.com.  I was reading the site today and he posted some great information about Multilink.  He touched on the fact that people in general are not big fans of reading directions.  We generally feel that we'll figure it out.  I hate to admit it, but I've done this from time to time too.  This can be a huge mistake, especially when dealing with adhesive dentistry.  I find that the adhesive part of the CEREC process is that part that most people have questions on from the start.  It is so much easier to just cement a crown, we all know that.  It is imperative to know your bonding agent and how to properly use it.  Today Don talked about some studies they did on Multilink.  They had some questions about how long was long enough to scrub the dentin and enamel with the A & B mixture.  The correct amount of time to scrub the dentin with the mix of A & B is 20 seconds.  Look at what happens to bond strengths when you don't follow directions:

It is so important to follow manufacturers instructions.  The adhesive step is probably the most important step in the long term success of the restorations that we place.  Please take the time to learn how to use them correctly!

Bravo! for this commentary Rich. I've read, been instructed and heeded this procedural protocol since "day one" of my journey into the world of milled ceramics. It's right there in the MultiLink instructions, and is emphasized at every presentation Ivoclar gives. Likewise, most of the more scientifically inclined experts who regularly lecture in the CEREC community repeat the same mantra. Seems to me, clinicians who may be more concerned about speed than providing an optimal product for each patient are the most frequent offenders of jumping ahead with little regard for instructional detail. Doesn't take a huge stretch to think a manufacturer may have studied their own product well enough to recommend it's optimal manipulation. As an aside: Thanks again for a great lecture at the 25th. Standing and floor seating room only ... and worth every ache and pain!

Thanks for the kind words about the blog and the lecture at c25. That lecture was probably one the highlights of my dental career. I get to speak to dentists around the country and I'm always surprised about how so many just don't follow directions. Hope to see you at CEREC 27.5 this year.