Direct Composite Restorations
The Roundtable video series is a forum for discussion and debate on key topics, trends, and techniques in dentistry. For each edition, Inside Dentistry's editor-in-chief, Robert C. Margeas, DDS, and a panel of experts examine a subject to help expand your knowledge and improve your practice. This month, our panel explores some of the latest advances in direct composite restorations.
The conversation begins with a discussion about clinician and patient expectations for direct composites regarding esthetics, longevity, and function. "Achieving excellent esthetics is not a problem with composites," says Brian LeSage, DDS. "Because function and longevity go hand in hand, we shouldn't consider doing anything in dentistry that isn't going to be able to handle the forces associated with function." He also notes that it is important to evaluate patients for any potential issues that may affect longevity, such as a parafunctional fingernail biting habit. The panel agrees, and Devin McClintock, DDS, notes that she makes sure her patients understand that after 5 or 7 years, a restoration may need to be repaired or polished to bring it back to life. The conversation then moves to the panel members' varied individual experiences with anterior direct composites and anterior composite veneers.
To conclude, the panel explores the current composites on the market and discusses how they have improved workflows and outcomes. Mike DiTolla, DDS, likes that dental material manufacturers are moving to less shades in their ranges. "The single-shade universal composites help dentists get better results without necessarily having to do better dentistry," he says. "In my experience, they pick up the surrounding tooth structure so well that I think they do a better job at shade matching than a dentist can do if he or she is doing it the traditional way."
LeSage and McClintock note improvements in the handling, polishability, and strength of composites. All agree that preferences vary from clinician to clinician, and McClintock emphasizes that it is "not only about getting a good material but also about figuring out which material works best in your hands."
Watch the full video on AEGIS TV at aegistv.com.
What You'll Learn
The role of anterior direct composites
Predictable methods to surmount composite veneer challenges
Material advances in direct composites
Meet the Panel
Mike DiTolla, DDS, is a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and the vice president of clinical affairs and communication for the Aegis Dental Network. He maintains a private practice in Lodi, California.
Brian LeSage, DDS, is a fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and a CE instructor at the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry. He maintains a private practice in Beverly Hills, California.
Devin McClintock, DDS, completed a 2-year cosmetic dentistry fellowship through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is an associate dentist in Williamsburg, Virginia.
