For 60–75 minute full-bond sessions, I’ve been alternating OptraGate Small with high-vac and switching to NOLA for band cementation; isolation is great, but I’m noticing more lip dryness and commissure irritation with the NOLA even with Vaseline. What setups or sizing tweaks are you using to keep a reliable dry field while minimizing soft‑tissue strain and patient fatigue?
I get the same ‘commissure irritation’ with NOLA, and switching to 3M Cavilon barrier film on the corners before placement has been better than Vaseline for my 60–75 min bonds — holds up and patients report less cracking. It can feel tacky, so I blot once before seating the mouthpiece. Have you tried a barrier film instead of petroleum?
I ran into the same thing on 60–75 min bonds and fixed most of it by sizing up from ‘OptraGate Small’ to Medium — the smaller ring was pulling the corners taut, while Medium keeps the field dry without that commissure pinch; the only trade‑off is I add a dedicated high‑vac tip buccal during band cementation. Have you tried Medium before swapping to NOLA?