Shofu’s Fit SA™: A “Game Changer” in Everyday Bioactive Dentistry

Bioactive restorative materials recently have garnered sig­nificant attention in the dental profession. Such materials have an effect on, interact with, or elicit a response from living tissue. In other words, they are active, not passive, participants in the restorative process, says Fay Goldstep, BSc, DDS, FIADFE, a private practitioner in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. These materials, she notes, provide benefits for the patient that continue after they are placed, without any additional intervention needed on the part of the clinician.

An ideal restorative material must have superior physical and esthetic properties and be user-friendly. Optimal bioactive materials must provide these same superior properties and ease of use, but also incorporate the healing aspect of bioactivity.

Giomer Technology was developed to provide just that-a reliable bioactive restorative solution for everyday use. It is featured in the family of Shofu's Beautifil^® and Beautifil Flow Plus^® materials, which have been evaluated long-term for their physical and esthetic properties. A 13-year recall study showed 95% of these restorations had no secondary decay.

Regarding bioactivity, studies have shown dentin remineralization around the Giomer Technology material. Giomer restorations take up fluoride during toot­h­paste, rinse, or varnish applications and then act as reservoirs for fluoride for when it is needed to combat secondary decay.

The beneficial ion release around the Giomer restoration creates a bioactive envelope that inhibits bacterial adhesion and plaque formation, Goldstep says. This envelope neutralizes oral acids, in effect creating an acid-free zone around the res­toration. All of these bioactive benefits strengthen the surrounding tooth structure, decrease secondary decay, and increase the longevity of the restoration.

Shofu's FIT SA^™ is a self-adhesive, flowable, bioactive Giomer Technology restorative material that eliminates the bonding layer, which can be a barrier to full ion transfer between the restoration and preparation surface. This advancement is a "game changer" for everyday bioactive dentistry, says Goldstep. The bioactive benefits are transferred through the interface between the restoration and tooth, not just at the surrounding surface. There is no bonding layer to block this interaction; the bonding agent is within the material itself.

FIT SA is designed to be used as a liner, in small Class I, Class III, and Class V restorations and in any other areas that are not load-bearing. The material is ideal for use in pediatric and geriatric patients, as it is delivered with no etching, no rinsing, and no mess. Defects and secondary decay around old crowns can be speedily repaired with FIT SA, which delivers bioactive benefits for many years after placement.

FIT SA is also the ideal material for the "perimeter preparation." Time and function may break down the margins of a restoration. In many cases, while the margin exhibits local­ized or perimeter breakdown and secondary decay, the rest of the restoration remains intact. Dentists are then faced with the decision of replacing or repairing the restoration. This is not the time to "watch and wait" and allow the restoration to become unsalvageable. A perimeter preparation is a proactive treatment performed at an early stage before more extensive treatment is required. All stain and secondary decay around the defective margin is removed.

The ideal replacement material for this type of treatment, Goldstep suggests, should integrate with the original restoration and the remaining tooth structure, be plaque-resistant, and have remineralizing properties to prevent future perimeter breakdown. FIT SA is this material. It is a true game changer in everyday bioactive dentistry.

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