June 2014, Volume 35, Issue 6
Published by AEGIS Communications
DENTSPLY Caulk’s SureFil® SDR® flow:
A “Game Changer” That Reduces Procedure Steps
While Jason H. Goodchild, DMD, who is Research Dentist in the Department of Clinical Research & Education at DENTSPLY Caulk, finds it hard to point to a single “most important” recent advancement in resin composites, he says, “If I had to pick one, it would relate to placing larger increments of material with no negative effects.”
To this point, Goodchild reflects on a long-held belief that composite resins could not be placed in increments larger than 2 mm to mitigate polymerization shrinkage and poor light transmission into deeper preparations. According to that thinking, he explains, “The restoration of larger cavity forms took a long time because composite needed to be placed in small layers and cured before moving on to the next layer.”
“We always thought that if you exceeded those increments, the shrinkage of composites could potentially lead to problems such as pulling away from the sides of the cavity wall, deforming the tooth, and causing sensitivity,” he says.
However, Goodchild points out, the time-intensiveness of repeatedly placing and curing the small amounts of composite led the dental industry to seek a more efficient—and therefore more profitable—alternative. “Given the rising cost of materials and the amount of time it takes to fill a cavity, many dentists found it often literally did not pay to place the material this way,” he asserts.
Goodchild says DENTSPLY Caulk was the first company to introduce a bulk-fill flowable composite with low shrinkage stress. SureFil® SDR® flow, which was introduced in 2009, was developed specifically to help overcome the problems caused by stress, he says, including tooth deformity leading to microcracks, sensitivity, and secondary caries. “The company sought not only to introduce a resin that could handle or minimize these factors but that also could be cured in a larger increment.
DENTSPLY Caulk achieved this, he explains, by creating “a relaxed resin matrix” to prevent stresses. “Before, composite material would be transformed from a flowable or putty-like form to its cured state in a matter of seconds when the curing light was applied. Knowing that, material scientists theorized that if a modulator within the resin matrix could be used during those crucial seconds of light curing, stress formation at the tooth interface could be prevented,” Goodchild explains. “The result was a resin that decreases polymerization stresses by 60% with the unexpected benefit of self-leveling handling.” He adds that SureFil® SDR® flow still cures in the 20-second cycle with a standard LED light on a universal shade composite.
Goodchild maintains that dentists can expect even better dentistry in the future from DENTSPLY Caulk, as the company focuses on solutions, not just products. “This can be accomplished by bundling or aligning products to create a clinical solution instead of, for example, taking an adhesion system from one company, a composite system from another, and a matrix system from still another,” he says. DENTSPLY Caulk, he notes, is now developing solutions by pairing products that are designed and tested together, raising the likelihood of delivering excellent results. This includes the Palodent® Plus Sectional Matrix System, adhesive (Prime&Bond Elect® Universal Adhesive), bulk-fill flowable composite (SureFil® SDR® flow), and the final occlusal layer of composite (TPH Spectra® Universal Composite Restorative). By coupling these products with a new pen-style LED curing light (SmartLite® Focus Curing Light) with a collimated beam and the Enhance® Finishing System, Goodchild explains, “clinicians can expect consistently outstanding clinical results.”
DENTSPLY Caulk’s “for better dentistry” motto permeates all aspects of the company’s product development and support, he says. “Our professional services team at DENTSPLY Caulk is here to help customers. In addition, we have 125 field service representatives who call on doctors and are available to provide demos and additional information whenever needed.”
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