DENTSPLY introduced SDR™ technology in 2009, enabling dentists to bulk-fill up to 4mm instead of placing and curing multiple composite layers in Class I and II restorations. In 2016, SureFil SDR flow+ material enhanced this technology for use in an expanded range of indications while also offering more shades, greater wear resistance and increased radiopacity.
Now, a five-year clinical study shows that SureFil SDR flow+ material can be used in bulk-fill applications with comparable results versus conventional composites using a layered technique. Dentists and their patients can benefit from the simplicity and convenience of a bulk-fill procedure without compromise.
The Clinical Study Design
The study was performed by the Biomedical Research Group of the University of Umeå, Sweden, and was released at the 2016 meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Authored by Director of Clinical Research JWV van Dijken, the study compared 100 Class I and Class II restorations using the bulk-fill technique against the same number of restorations using the layering technique.
SureFil SDR flow was used for the bulk-fill restorations, with applications up to 4mm deep. The control restorations were performed using an industry-standard composite in multiple layers, using an oblique layering technique when possible. Layers were light cured for at least 20 seconds. All restorations were bonded with the same self-etching adhesive, and occlusal surfaces were finished with the same universal composite material.
The bulk-fill and layered restorations were performed on pairs of cavities with similar characteristics on the same patients, enabling the most direct comparison of durability and wear over time. A baseline evaluation was performed, and restorations were re-evaluated at yearly intervals for a period of five years to assess anatomic form, marginal adaptation, marginal discoloration, surface roughness, color match and secondary caries.
The Results
Both restorative techniques showed good surface, marginal and color stability, with substantially equivalent durability. The few failures that occurred were primarily due to tooth fracture and secondary caries, and Page 2/2
only in Class II restorations. Although the difference is not statistically significant, the annual failure rate for the bulk-fill technique was actually lower than for layered-fill restorations: 1.4 percent versus 2.1 percent.
The study concluded that both the traditional layering technique and the bulk-fill technique provide the same clinical efficacy over a five-year period. In addition, the study did not report any cases of post-operative sensitivity among any of the participants. Dentists can choose SureFil SDR flow material and enjoy all the advantages of the bulk-fill technique with no compromise to patient comfort or the long-term durability and aesthetic beauty of the restoration.
SureFil SDR flow+ Material Offers Even Greater Versatility
When SureFil SDR flow was launched in 2009, it introduced a new way of placing Class I and II restorations.
Its highly flowable consistency provides excellent cavity adaptation, even in the deepest corners of the proximal box. Its self-leveling property, requiring no further manipulation, provides an optimum base for the final occlusal layer and simplifies placement even on maxillary posterior teeth. And the unique SDR™ chemistry provides up to 60 percent less polymerization stress compared to other flowable and universal composites – including other bulk-fill materials – allowing layers up to 4mm thick even in high C-factor cavities.
The most researched and clinically proven bulk fill composite, SureFil SDR flow+ is the “gold standard” for bulk-fill composite materials. More than 84,000 dentists worldwide have tried it, placing more than 44 million restorations – a testament to its broad acceptance in the dental community.
Now, the new SureFil SDR flow+ material offers even greater versatility, with additional A1, A2 and A3 shades in addition to the original universal shade, greater wear resistance and radiopacity, and approval for use in a wider range of cases beyond Class I and II. It’s an essential component of the Class II Total Practice Solution™ from Dentsply Sirona, delivering more efficient procedures and reliable clinical outcomes for a more effective dental practice.
Efficiency matters. So does long-term performance. The latest clinical research shows how dentists can get both with one advanced bulk fill flowable composite: SureFil SDR flow+ material.
