Lee Tuczemskyi discusses some of the common patient concerns about restorations.
Research amongst dental patients by the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network has revealed that three of their top 10 most important ‘qualities of dental care’ were related to dental restorations. Patient priorities:
- The restoration is invisible
- Your teeth close well after a filling has been made
- ‘Dental restorations should hold out for at least four years (Riley JL 3rd et al, 2012).
Understandably, the key patient priorities about restorations relate to aesthetics, function and longevity. With that in mind, clinicians must choose equipment and materials that are designed to deliver all three. To achieve this, more and more are turning to the Dentsply Sirona’s Class II Solution.
Aesthetics
Great aesthetics in the form of beautiful, natural-looking teeth, are the key to patient satisfaction. These aesthetic demands can be met through the use of a high-performing capping composite and polishing system:
- Ceram.x Spectra ST – a revolutionary nano-ceramic composite material, which gives the restoration a life-like, chameleon effect and outstanding stain resistance. Clinicians love the simplified shade selection system, which consists of just five cloud shades and its ease of adaptation, sculptability and non-stickiness for easy placement
- The Enhance Finishing System then removes excess composite, contours and finishes the restoration for a beautiful, long-lasting effect.
Function
Poor contact points increase the likelihood of fracture, occlusal interference and food impaction, which commonly lead to restoration failure. Seventy per cent of clinicians find contact points the most challenging aspect of a class II restoration so a matrix system that makes it easy for them to create a natural tooth shape and good contact points is essential.
- The Palodent V3 sectional matrix system, with its nickel-titanium rings, anatomically-shaped matrix bands and adaptive self-guiding wedges can deliver tight contacts and accurate replication of the natural tooth anatomy even in deep class II cavities.
Longevity
The longevity of a functional restoration is linked to the reliability of the bonding agent and the bulk fill composite.
- Prime&bond active has a unique formulation that enables it to achieve a tight seal and strong bond with excellent coverage across the whole cavity. Its hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties mean it performs in both over-wet and over-dry conditions
- SDR Flow+ bulk fill has a unique chemistry, which means it easily adapts to the natural contours of the cavity and can be applied in 4mm increments, reducing treatment time and giving clinicians confidence in the restoration.
The Dentsply Sirona Class II Solution enables clinicians to address all the common patient concerns about restorations. Each element has been developed to not only meet the demanding needs of class II restorations but to also be easy to handle and efficient to use – to meet the satisfaction of both clinician and patient.
To find out more about the Dentsply Sirona extensive range of restorative solutions, please visit dentsplysirona.com/class2 or call us on 01932 838 338.
You can visit the online Dentsply Sirona Academy for a wide range of education resources, video tutorials, courses and CPD webinars at dentsplysirona.com/ukeducation.
Earn Dentsply Sirona Rewards on all your restorative solution purchases at dentsplysirona.com, all solutions you need under one roof.
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References
Riley JL 3rd, Gordan VV, Rindal DB, Fellows JL, Qvist V, Patel S, Foy P, Williams OD, Gilbert GH and Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group (2012) Components of patient satisfaction with a dental restorative visit: results from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Am Dent Assoc 143(9): 1002-10
