VisCalor bulk: A Flowable and Sculptable in One
This highly-filled composite infused with thermo-viscous technology (TVT) combines the benefits of a flowable and bulk-fill material into one product
When it comes to composite restorations—the bread and butter of any general dental practice—there are countless materials available from a variety of manufacturers. However, most of these manufacturers offer only one or two types of materials—for example, a flowable or a bulk fill. Flowable composites are convenient because they have better cavity adaptation and can flow into hard-to-reach places, while bulk-fill composites are more sculptable and reduce the need for the time-consuming layering technique. There are clear advantages to both—so why not use a product that has both of these features in one?
“Almost anywhere that a composite works, there’s no reason why you can’t use VisCalor bulk.”
- Foroud Hakim, DDS; San Ramon, CA
The Best of Both Worlds
Created by VOCO, VisCalor bulk is in a material class of its own. The highly-filled, thermo-viscous bulk-fill composite is designed to be heated, which allows it to flow optimally on cavity walls and undercut regions during application, and then quickly cool down to body temperature so it can be immediately sculpted like a packable composite. “The physical characteristics of a bulk-fill material outweigh that of a flowable composite, but the adaptation and the way it fits a cavity is much better with a flowable composite,” explained Dr. Foroud Hakim, who has been using VisCalor bulk in his San Ramon, CA, practice for the past few months. “When you have the opportunity to use a product that can be the best of both worlds—meaning it has all the benefits of a body composite, but you can momentarily turn it flowable and have it flow into hard-to-reach places—that is a really big advantage and what makes this product so appealing.” VisCalor bulk’s ideal sculptable and flowable characteristics mean that it can be used in a variety of clinical scenarios. In particular, its ability to convert to a flowable phase after heating makes it an ideal choice to use in minimally invasive dentistry, such as when treating small areas of decay. “You can use it in Class Vs, Class IIIs, and obviously Class Is and IIs,” shared Dr. Hakim. “Almost anywhere that a composite works, there’s no reason why you can’t use VisCalor bulk
Heating Up for Better Flow
Dr. Hakim also enjoys using VOCO’s Caps Warmer and VisCalor Dispenser to heat and deliver VisCalor bulk. The Caps Warmer uses a specially designed tray that optimally encloses composite caps and ensures they are warmed uniformly, while the VisCalor Dispenser uses near-infrared technology to rapidly warm composite caps and deliver the material. An acoustic signal indicates when the material is ready to be applied directly from the dispenser, which takes approximately 30 seconds. Delivering VisCalor bulk via this all-in-one device helps prevent air bubbles and minimizes the risk of marginal gaps.“Clinicians have the option to use either device depending on what works best for their protocols and delivery habits,” added Dr. Hakim.Despite the constantly evolving nature of dental restorative materials, it’s clear that VOCO’s VisCalor bulk embodies technology that makes it unique from other products in its class. “Every manufacturer in the dental materials space offers a composite, and many of those composites have merit. So, when something comes along that has a game-changing theme to it, such as VisCalor bulk, it certainly catches your eye,” concluded Dr. Hakim.
