Patent ID: 8753613

Claim:
A retraction material comprising a gel or paste, for use in a dental procedure for retracting gingival tissue from around a tooth and widening a gingival sulcus, comprising: a) 10 to 20 percent by weight of an astringent selected from the group consisting of aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride, sodium chloride, aluminum potassium sulfate, ammonium aluminum sulfate, and tannic acid; b) 5 to 15 percent by weight of an absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of potassium polyacrylate, sodium polyacrylate, sodium sulfate, silica gel, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride and kaolin; and c) 15 to 20 percent by weight of a thickening agent selected from the group consisting of corn starch, guar gum, xanthan, and fumed silica; wherein said retraction material i) can be extruded or dispensed through a cannula; ii) permits retraction and drying of the sulcus in a single step; and iii) can be rinsed away after retraction with a gentle water spray without disturbing blood coagulum.