Single-Shade Composites Ease Workflow Decisions
December 1, 2020
Volume 16, Issue 12, December 2020
Page(s): p. 52
For clinicians who make hundreds of decisions a day, it can be a welcome relief not to have to pick a composite shade. Having one high-performance material that can blend with virtually any tooth shade can save chairtime and inventory costs. However, practitioners are often still skeptical about whether single-shade materials can really be truly universal.
Sometimes with composites, a translucent filler will pick up the shade from the tooth next to it, and there is a tendency for that value to drop and gray out. Fortunately, the Venus Diamond ONE and Venus Pearl ONE single-shade composites include a pigmented filler as well, which prevents the loss in value.
"It is impressive," says Elizabeth Bakeman, DDS, FAACD. "I've found that some of the universal shades show a little bit of grayness or low value, but I'm not noticing this with Venus Diamond ONE or Venus Pearl ONE." She recently sat down with Product Talk to discuss how she uses these products in practice.
The Venus Diamond ONE and Venus Pearl ONE composites both feature the scientifically documented TCD-urethane resin matrix that is exclusive to Kulzer materials. This innovative resin matrix has demonstrated more than a decade of proven clinical success in long-lasting composite restorations, providing strength and excellent handling and esthetic properties. Both of these single-shade restoratives are also free of BisGMA and BPA-related monomers.
Venus Diamond ONE offers a firm, nonstick consistency, and Venus Pearl ONE offers a creamy, nonstick consistency. "It's a matter of preference regarding what type of consistency you really like," says Bakeman. "I have used them both, and they are both very workable. They're not sticky, which is a key feature. My preference may be the Venus Diamond One because I can manipulate it a bit more for posterior restorations, but the Venus Pearl ONE doesn't slump and is very manageable."
Kulzer encourages dentists to layer these composites whenever they want a more characterized or esthetic result. In those cases, the single-shade material still absorbs the reflected light to match the shade of the adjacent tooth structure.
"I definitely layer a lot in the anterior aspects," Bakeman explains. "I also layer in the posterior. I prefer using a self-cure material as my base layer in the posterior region, especially with deep boxes. I am concerned about getting the curing light in that area. However, I don't like having to set and pick a shade for posterior restorations. I prefer to be able to use the same material over and over and know that it will work well."
Bakeman points out the efficiency of these materials. "Even with a lot of different tooth shades, my go-to final layer can be the Venus Diamond ONE or the Venus Pearl ONE, and we move ahead. It is great for creating a streamlined workflow."
Venus composites offer more than just excellent single-shade esthetics. Their spectrum of outstanding physical properties makes them very predictable and reliable. Such properties are generally seen as key factors for significantly minimizing fractures and secondary caries, which are the most common reasons for failure.
Elizabeth M. Bakeman, DDS, is an accredited fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and an instructor at the Kois Center. She maintains a private practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
