Dental Technique - Restorations With Resin-Based, Bulk Fill Composites
Dental Technique - Restorations With Resin-Based, Bulk Fill Composites
Dental Technique - Restorations With Resin-Based, Bulk Fill Composites
least 4 mm, which is accomplished by being translucent and highly conducive to light transmission. Third, they should be more flowable to allow for easy cavity adaptation, including in cervical margins and existing boxes, and should be easy to dispense with minimal handling.11 Fourth, they need excellent physical characteristics, such as great compressive strength and good wear.
Case Report 1
A 42-year-old male was scheduled to have two Class II posterior direct composite restorations on teeth Nos. 18 and 19 after radiographs revealed caries under old restorations (Figure 2). A 1556 carbide bur was used to remove the old restoration and caries, as well as to prepare the cavity. When composite is the restorative material to be used, a traditional G.V. Black geometrical preparation is not necessary, because composite does not require minimum depth, minimum width, or mechanical retention like amalgam does. The key is to fully remove the caries in the most tooth-conserving fashion. Because the preparation was more than 3 mm deep, a thin layer of resin-modified glass ionomer light-cure liner (Ionoseal, VOCO, http://www.voco.com) was used to protect the pulp. The enamel cavosurface margin was etched with phosphoric acid for 15 seconds and thoroughly washed with air and water. After air drying without desiccating, a self-etch bonding system (iBond, Heraeus Kulzer) was used for the preparation according to the manufacturers instructions. The first layer of bonding agent was placed and agitated for 20 seconds, followed by good air drying for 5 seconds, then light-cured (Figure 3). The bulk-filling composite (Venus Bulk) was used as the first of only two increments, with attention placed to filling the cavity carefully, with the tip of the compule touching the cavity at the gingival box, gradually filling the cavity, and then slowly withdrawing the tip to avoid trapping air. It is important to note that the first increment of this bulk-filling composite must always stop below the enamel to allow space for the second increment. Because Venus Bulk is a more flexible material with lower wear strength, it should always be covered with restorative grade composite to ensure good durability. Therefore, a high wear-resistant composite (Venus Diamond) in shade A2 was placed as the final composite increment, and the occlusal morphology was developed using a set of composite instruments developed by the author (RU Composite Instruments Kit, CK Dental, http://www.ckdental.net). After the morphology was fully developed, a complete cure was performed (Figure 4). The final morphology and occlusal adjustment were achieved using a bullet-shaped 7406 carbide bur (Dentsply, http://www.denstply.com). Proper occlusal adjustment is a must, as most postoperative problems with this restoration can be traced to occlusal problems.12 A one-step easy polish can be accomplished using a diamond impregnated brush (Occlubrush, Kerr, http://www.kerrdental.com). The patient received follow-up phone calls at 1 day and 1 week postoperatively to evaluate sensitivity and satisfaction. No sensitivity was reported.
Case Report 2
A 55-year-old female in good health with no pain or chief complaint presented to the office. After a thorough examination, it was determined that fractured amalgam restorations required replacement (Figure 5. Following the protocol previously described, the existing amalgams and caries were removed (Figure 6). The remainder of
the procedure followed the clinical protocol described in Case Report 1, which included the placement of a matrix band to facilitate composite placement (Figure 7). The bulk composite (Venus Bulk) was placed as the first bulk increment, staying below the enamel, and cured (Figure 8). The second and final increment was placed using a restorative composite (Venus Diamond), which was also cured (Figure 9) and appropriately finished (Figure 10.
Conclusion
In the past, the use of resin-based composite materials presented many challenges when compared with conventional amalgam restorations. However, with proper technique and new advances in restorative materials, direct composite restorations can be simpler, more predictable, and efficient. A bulk-fill technique using a resinbased composite bulk fill material with unique characteristics is a significant step forward in minimizing the complications experienced when placing traditional direct composite restorations with multiple increments.
References
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