Using Shofu’s bioactive Beautifil Flow Plus and Beautifil II LS provides optimal marginal adaptation with easy sculptability and beautiful esthetics
Dr. Henriques is the director of ABO-US Academic Affairs and Associate Professor at Fluminense Federal University, where he received his PhD in Clinical Dentistry. He received his Specialist and Master in Prosthodontics from São Leopoldo Mandic.
When you combine Shofu’s Beautifil Flow Plus with Beautifil II LS, you get what Dr. Flavio Queiroz Henriques describes as “the perfect material.”
Beautifil Flow Plus is a light-cured, injectable, nano-hybrid restorative material that combines the convenience of a flowable delivery system with the strength and functionality of a hybrid composite, while Beautifil II LS is a firm, stackable, non-sticky universal composite formulated to minimize polymerization shrinkage. Both are bioactive Giomer composites, meaning they contain a proprietary filler particle, engineered by Shofu Dental, that can release and recharge 6 healthful ions—fluoride, strontium, sodium, aluminum, silicate, and borate.
Two Materials Make a ‘Perfect’ Combination
Dr. Henriques, an associate professor at Fluminense Federal University, uses both materials in the restoration technique he developed in Brazil. Beautifil II LS has less volumetric shrinkage than other materials and is very firm, yet easy to handle. You can insert the material in the preparation, and it stays exactly where you put it. It also offers optimal strength, wear resistance, and esthetics, along with a low (0.85 vol %) shrinkage stress. But because it’s a body composite, it’s not highly flowable. The self-leveling, bubble-free Beautifil Flow Plus allows for excellent adaptation because it is a flowable composite resin with filler content.
In his technique, Dr. Henriques places the low-shrinkage Beautifil II LS around the exterior of the tooth and the flowable inside the middle of the restoration, whether it’s a Class I or II cavity. The patient can then benefit from the best qualities of both bioactive materials. Beautifil Flow Plus provides that flowable consistency to create a tight marginal seal, while Beautifil II LS minimizes shrinkage stress and prevents marginal gaps. Both provide the benefits of Shofu’s Giomer ion-releasing technology. They polish to a beautiful finish and because they’re the same color, matching is not an issue. Together, these 2 materials create a perfect balance, ensuring patients receive a strong, esthetic restoration—in just 1 appointment.
Here, we take a look at a recent case Dr. Henriques completed using this restoration technique.
Case in Point: Layering for Strength and Esthetics
The patient presented with recurrent caries, marginal leakage, staining, and the loss of anatomical contour. I started the procedure by performing rubber dam isolation to improve visualization of the operative field and control patient saliva, enhancing adhesion quality. To further improve adhesion, I selectively etched the enamel before placing a universal adhesive (BeautiBond Xtreme, Shofu) using just a single layer. I then light-cured the adhesive.
After light curing, I placed the flowable composite, Beautifil Flow Plus F03 (Low Viscosity), to facilitate self-leveling of the resin base and provide on-demand release of bioactive ions. There weren’t any air bubbles after the injection, which can be an issue with other flowable materials.
After applying the flowable composite, I placed Beautifil II LS, a high-viscosity composite containing 82.9% filler and 0.85% polymerization shrinkage. The occlusal restoration was performed in 2 steps: I first restored the lingual portion of the cavities and then the buccal portion using 2-mm-thick increments with 10 seconds of light curing.
After completing the restorations, I used a 1-step finisher and polisher (OneGloss, Shofu) that provides the ideal finish for all types of composite restorations by altering the contact pressure.
A Go-To Technique That Speeds Up the Procedure
The technique presented here is very fast. The first time I performed it, I completed 6 restorations in 1 hour and 30 minutes. When dentists understand the step-by-step protocol, the technique brings efficiency and profitability to the office. And patients love it because you can solve their problem in 1 appointment.
Another benefit is that both materials release beneficial ions. When saliva touches the restoration, it starts the process to release the ions. It’s a very interesting approach, and Shofu is a pioneer in developing these types of bioactive materials. When you combine bioactive materials like Beautifil Flow Plus and Beautiful II LS, you get the perfect material choice in dentistry. There isn’t any brand, or any company, that can come close to what Shofu offers.
