Keep It in the Family for Direct Restoration Success
Successful restorations depend on a variety of factors, including clinician skill, practice teamwork, and the individual materials used in the procedure. Choosing from all of the available materials—composites, etchants, bonding agents, and cements—may be the biggest challenge. Knowing what will work well together and following individual manufacturer instructions to ensure consistent results can be a bit of a balancing act. One way to overcome these hurdles and also streamline workflows is to use materials designed to work well together.
That was certainly true in the case of a 30-year-old patient who presented with extreme cold sensitivity associated with teeth Nos. 12 and 13. After thermal testing, which was normal, we made a diagnosis of reversible pulpitis. In collaboration with the patient, we chose to treat her with a direct restoration using CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Universal (Kuraray). We chose this material because of its chameleon effect on teeth that have multiple shades. We also chose to use other Kuraray products—CLEARFIL SE Protect and CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow—that we know are compatible and help us achieve consistently good outcomes for our patients.
Procedure Steps
After isolating teeth Nos. 11 to 14 and administering local anesthesia at teeth Nos. 12 and 13, we prepped the teeth using flame diamond burs. Teeth were etched 10 seconds, then rinsed and dried. To ensure we successfully treated the patient’s sensitivity, we implemented two techniques specifically designed to do just that. We applied CLEARFIL SE Protect to the prepared teeth using the immediate dentin sealing technique. This progressive protocol protects the pulp, addresses sensitivity, and helps establish a strong bond to enamel. Next, we applied CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow using the resincoating technique to minimize pulp irritation and improve bond strength.
For a natural, esthetic appearance, we used the stratification technique and CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Universal flowable composite, which is designed for all posterior restorations and uses Light Diffusion Technology so they naturally diffuse. The result is smooth integration with surrounding tooth structure and virtually invisible preparation margins.
Final Result
The patient was pleased with the final restorative result and relieved that her cold sensitivity resolved. Using Kuraray’s family of CLEARFIL products allowed us to deliver the case efficiently and provide the patient with an excellent outcome.
