This is one of the most common questions we get asked. When should you use 35 or 50 micron Tor VM matrix bands? Hard or soft?
The first thing to say is that this is mainly a question of personal preference and we think it’s really cool that Tor VM give dental professionals the choice.
When using sectional matrix bands there are two main considerations:
1) Getting a tight contact point
2) Getting an anatomical contact profile
The thinner the band the easier it is to achieve the separation required to get a good contact point!
BUT !
There is a trade off as if the band is too thin and weak (relative to the separation force applied) then the band will deform and this will lose the desired contact profile. The whole point of sectional matrix bands is to help you achieve an anatomical, curved, proximal contour. Yet with so many of the systems on the market, the bands are made from a soft metal. This means that when the strong ring is placed around the band it deforms, flattens off and sometimes opens up at the cervical margin. The stronger the ring the bigger the risk... just watch closely what happens when you place your separation ring and sometimes you will see the flattening and deformation.