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Laurence Bohan
Content Writer
Laurence Bohan
Content Writer

Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.

Flowables are more than just fluid dental composite – they’re incredibly versatile materials that present many restorative opportunities. We’ve compiled a list of 6 tips for success to help you get the most out of your flowable restoratives.

Make Sure Your Delivery Method Delivers

One of the biggest complaints that clinicians have about flowables are the bubbles that appear during dispensing. These tiny voids can be hard to see and difficult to get rid of once in the prep and can cause:

  • Staining
  • Optical defects
  • Microleakage
  • Limit the lifetime of the restoration

There are ways to reduce bubbles, including re-etching, vertical storage, or incremental placement and filling of voids with additional composite, but each requires additional, time-consuming steps. A better solution may be a different delivery method. The innovative syringe designed for 3M Filtek Supreme Flowable Restorative and Filtek Bulk Fill Flowable Restorative is engineered to eliminate bubbles and run-on, while improving handling. The new bendable cannula, available in three diameters, provides better access in those hard-to-reach places for easier injecting. When your material and delivery method work together like this, it can bring you closer to a bubble-free restoration. 

Don’t Forget to Check the Indications

From core build-ups to pit and fissure sealants, flowables have been recommended for many indications – but not all. On the flip side, many dental professionals underutilise flowables based on the limitations of early generation products.

Modern flowables have come a long way, and may be more versatile than you think. So always double-check your material’s capabilities before choosing – or writing off – a flowable composite.

This article was approved by 3M.
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