The Chemistry of Restorative Dental Materials
Every day in the dental practice, clinicians use a range of materials for restorative procedures. Composites, resin cements, adhesives, and etchants—each clinician has their favorites based on attributes such as handling, esthetics, cost, or ease of use. But while the go-to product might check off a few boxes, the real measure of success lies much deeper. It’s found in the chemical makeup of the material and its compatibility with other materials. While it may seem like an unnecessary deep dive, understanding the chemical nature of the restorative materials in the dental practice can have a big impact on clinical success. It will improve the way a material performs in a clinician’s hands, and give a patient better, longer-lasting results. “I think that understanding the nature of materials definitely improves clinical outcomes,” says Rolando Nuñez, DDS, manager of clinical marketing at BISCO, Inc. “It’s important to know things like the polymerization process or the compatibility between adhesives and certain cements or core build-up materials, and all of the interaction between these products when they’re being clinically applied. It is very important for the clinician to understand how these things happen, because the clinician being well aware of the chemistry will provide a good clinical outcome.” In short, to understand what makes a restoration successful, clinicians first need to understand the materials at their most basic level.
