Accounting as they do for such a large proportion of direct restorations, Class II procedures need to be as streamlined as possible.
Thankfully, gone are the days when large posterior restorations had to be built up in painstaking incremental layers. Bulkfills are now the preferred way to fill a cavity.
From their ability to save chair time, improve cost-efficiencies, and increase customer satisfaction, we explore how bulkfills benefit your budget.
Reducing chair time
There are many reasons why faster restorations are good for your practice. Less chair time of course means that you can do more treatments throughout the day, increasing your opportunity to earn.
The key is the effective technological leap bulkfills made over a decade ago, allowing clinicians to fill deeper cavities in one go.
With options to place with a 4mm depth of cure, such as the world’s first flowable bulkfill, SDR flow, or an unlimited depth with products like Dentsply Sirona’s Surefil one, there are options to suit a wide range of needs, preferences and clinical situations.
As some bulkfills chemically self-cure as soon as the restoration is in place, the time is reduced even further.
This time-saving element doesn’t come at the cost of reliability or durability either. While traditional packable composites could fail if not set correctly, an issue which can also impact on your time, a bulkfill’s greater depth of cure and the cure-in-one-go method means you can always have confidence in their performance.
Increased cost efficiency
While reduced chair time has a positive effect on cost-efficiencies, it goes without saying that one composite for all posterior restorations has the added advantage of reducing your inventory overall.
Many clinicians are faced with drawers full of different materials, but if you have a tried and tested bulkfill, this can instantly simplify your selection meaning fewer products in your inventory. One tried and tested bulkfill can be the key to working faster, buying fewer materials, and providing exceptional results each time.
Improved customer satisfaction
When we talk about saving time and streamlining procedures, we also need to think about the impact this has on the patient experience. By working faster and delivering better results, you can increase your patient’s comfort levels and the confidence they feel while in the chair.
Patients will be happy if you offer a faster dental treatment that stands the test of time. This all ties into patient satisfaction, retention and word of mouth. As the lifeblood of your practice, positive reviews and recommendations can make all the difference, and this really can come down to choosing the right materials.
Choosing your bulkfill
Dentsply Sirona has led the way with bulkfills since the beginning. Launching SDR flow more than 10 years ago, today’s next-generation SDR flow+ is considered the gold standard for bulkfills. While it continues to pioneer the market, alternatives like Surefil one with an unlimited depth of cure are ideal for compromised situations.
Noting benefits and considering how they fit with your patients and your workflow is important. SDR flow+ has flowability and levelling properties that enable clinicians to effectively cover all areas of the cavity with reliable adaptation.
Filling to a depth of 4mm increases patient comfort and the speed of restorations, and a range of shades adds to its aesthetics properties. SDR flow+ is also 40% quicker to place than the classic layering technique.
Some cases require an effective solution for compromised situations where speed is of the essence. Surefil one removes the need to prepare the tooth through etching and cavity conditioning, and its self-adhesive properties eliminate the use of a bonding agent. With an unlimited depth of cure and placement within 6.5 minutes, it’s a high-performing alternative to glass ionomers or amalgam.
Ultimately, the advantages to bulkfills in terms of saving time, improving cost efficiencies and delivering the clinical results both practice and patient demand are clear. When all is said and done, the right bulkfill can revolutionise your practice and streamline your Class II restorations.
To find out more about Dentsply Sirona’s extensive range of restorative solutions please visit www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/categories/restorative.html.
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.
