One thing’s for sure, teeth will always be prone to wear, decay and trauma. So, it’s obvious that dental restorative materials will be around for many years to come. But let’s consider this briefly:
Restore
We have been restoring teeth for hundreds of years, but only recently has the technology moved forward to allow us to create more predictable restorations, with longer life expectancy; better aesthetics; improved form and function and more recently products that are easier to use. Early restoratives were good, but over time these often caused us more problems as expansion, shrinkage, leakage and wear, all added to the slow demise of the tooth.
No restoration is permanent. For a composite restoration we may advise the patient that this should be fine for around eight to ten years, whereas for a glass ionomer, we may suggest a shorter time frame. We are all aware that at some point in time, any restoration will need to be revisited and replaced / repaired / upgraded etc. But the lifetime of that tooth and restoration could be improved if it is cleaned regularly, protected and maybe given some assistance with remineralisation.
More recently, advancements in technology have given us materials that can go some way to help reduce these long-term issues. Bulk fill composites arrived in around 2012 and are commonly found in most dental surgeries today. Starting off as translucent flowable materials, these products generate much less stress within the restoration, therefore putting much less stress on the surrounding tooth. Limited by their lack of strength and aesthetic properties, more highly filled bulk fill composites have been introduced which don’t require a capping layer and can be placed very quickly and easily to depths of around 4 or 5mm.
3M™ Filtek™ One Bulk Fill Restorative is one of the most innovative to come to the market in recent times. Incorporating stress relieving monomers and true nanofiller, Filtek One Bulk Fill restorative is indicated for both anterior and posterior work and exhibits very low internal stresses* and excellent wear properties* against apposing enamel. However, probably the most outstanding feature of this material is its ability to change its refractive index during curing.* Once upon a time, this family of restorative materials may have left a restoration appearing a little grey due to the increased translucency. This translucency is obviously essential to provide a deep depth of cure. This highly novel refractive index change allows the material to be bulk placed while translucent and then during the curing, the refractive index shift increases the opacity of the material, giving an end result which is as opaque as a traditional composite.
Click here for 3M™ Filtek™ One Bulk Fill Restorative
The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen added challenges placed upon the dental profession as aerosol generation has increased the necessity for fallow time following some procedures. A popular topic at present is the discussion around time saving and single-use products. Obviously, products that save time mean that in theory we can potentially see more patients in a day. Glass Ionomers fit nicely into this space as an adhesive isn’t required, and the ability to bulk place to any depth due to the chemical cure makes these ideal time saving products. Unlike composite, glass ionomers release fluoride and can be regenerated with fluoride.
Some glass ionomers do require the use of a conditioner on the dentine prior to placement, and all conventional glass ionomers should be covered with a glaze following placement to allow the material to fully set during the next few hours. This procedure has been commonplace with the glass ionomers for many years, but recently 3M™ Ketac™ Universal Glass Ionomer Restorative has rewritten the rule book and has removed the need for a conditioner and glaze*
Ketac Universal Glass Ionomer restorative is the latest development in a long history of proven glass ionomer technology. It’s designed to save steps for a faster procedure, so it’s ideal for treating paediatric, geriatric and teenage patients—who can be the most caries-prone and the most restless. Ketac Universal Glass Ionomer restorative offers low stickiness for easy handling* AND reduces chair time with a simple 1-step placement … so you can finish faster. The material can be used without preconditioning the cavity* and without a coating*, so it eliminates steps—yet still delivers compressive strength and surface hardness that are higher than several clinically proven glass ionomers which require a coating.*
Click here for 3M™ Ketac™ Universal Glass Ionomer Restorative
Resin modified glass ionomers could also be considered as ideal restorative, though most require incremental build up and light curing, resulting in a slower placement technique. Historically, these have never required a glaze due to the on command curing by the application of light. However, most require the use of conditioner. 3M™ Photac™ Fil Quick Aplicap™ Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Restorative, like Ketac Universal Glass Ionomer restorative, does not require the use of a conditioner* and therefore, should help in those situations where time is of the essence, but a resin modified glass ionomer is most suitable. Both resin modified and conventional glass ionomers can become recharged with fluoride, the source of which could be toothpaste or a fluoride releasing varnish.
Click here for 3M™ Photac™ Fil Quick Aplicap™
Protect
It has been well proven and documented that calcium alone will not prevent caries but calcium and fluoride will. The difficulty with preparations that combine calcium and fluoride is the potential for the calcium oxides to interact undesirably with fluoride. These interactions have the ability to render both the calcium and the fluoride inactive and can impact on the amount of bioavailable calcium and fluoride to the teeth. The application of a fluoride varnish to teeth will help with sensitivity, but also help deliver fluoride, which in turn, will help protect teeth. 3M™ Clinpro™ White Varnish with TCP contains an innovative functionalised Tri-Calcium Phosphate (fTCP). fTCP is the name given to the innovative calcium-based additive used in both Clinpro White Varnish with Tri-Calcium Phosphate (fTCP) and 3M™ Clinpro™ Tooth Crème.
Unlike varnishes that quickly release their fluoride, Clinpro White Varnish with Tri-Calcium Phosphate (fTCP) provides a prolonged, steady fluoride delivery* – enhancing absorption into the tooth, giving the protection you expect for patients of all ages.
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Mineralise
What makes Clinpro Tooth Crème so innovative is the way in which Tri-Calcium Phosphate is prepared to allow it to co-exist with fluoride in an aqueous environment. During the milling process, Tri-Calcium Phosphate is functionalised resulting in an organic-calcium phosphate hybrid being formed. This importantly ensures that the calcium oxides are protected from the undesirable interactions with fluoride, allowing Clinpro Tooth Crème to deliver bioavailable fluoride and calcium to the teeth.* Clinpro Tooth Crème is a simple one-step regimen requiring patients to simply brush with it twice daily in place of their conventional toothpaste. Clinpro Tooth Crème’s innovative fTCP formula maximises the performance of both calcium and fluoride to provide strengthening of enamel* and reversal of white spot lesions.*
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*3M internal data.
