Product Evaluation

SAFCO

Illusion Plus 

Bolstered by nano technology, Illusion Plus provides a high-gloss polish and high color adaptability for optimal esthetic results in direct anterior and posterior restorations 

What would it take for a dentist who performs roughly 60 restorations per week to describe a universal composite as “a quality product that can easily become the primary or alternate composite of choice in any practice”? For Dr. John Horn there were myriad reasons, not the least of which were “shade matching, ease of placement, and performance while placing and sculpting the restorations.”

Capitalizing on his DPS review opportunity, Dr. Horn used Safco’s Illusion Plus universal composite to place numerous restorations, both posterior and anterior. To date, he has “not had any failures or postoperative sensitivity complaints.”

And Dr. Horn wasn’t the only one in his practice who was impressed with the universal nanohybrid composite. His staff members were “very pleased with the composite as it performed well and fit well into our overall existing workflow and my operative flow.”

Formulated with nano technology and spherical particles, Illusion Plus provides a high-gloss polish and high color adaptability for optimal esthetic results, and those results are easy to achieve with user-friendly placement, handling, and sculpting in both the anterior and posterior.

Handling & Sculpting

Illusion Plus offers easy placement, handling, and sculpting, with lower sensitivity to ambient light to allow for an extended working time. “Illusion Plus is very easy to handle and manipulate with instruments,” shared Dr. Hana Rashid, who said it was “easy to sculpt and adapt to the cavity walls.” Appreciating the material’s ease of handling and ability to adapt to the tooth surface, Dr. Tiffany Lee described Illusion Plus as “a very esthetic material with good flow that doesn’t slump.” Both Dr. Kathy Ausman and Dr. Shalom Mehler were also impressed by the ease of sculpting along with several other evaluators.

Hoping for a composite with good handling capabilities, Dr. Marc Vance found the material “easy to manipulate, with a good consistency for those who like a lower viscosity packable.” He was especially pleased that “the cylinder-loaded composite was easy to sculpt into a nice core” when performing a buildup on tooth No. 9. Preferring to use heated composite, pediatric dentist Dr. John Jackfert was delighted that Illusion Plus “heated to a very smooth, creamy consistency” but said he prefers a thinner dispensing tip. Calling the material “just a tad tacky with a little pull back,” Dr. Horn said this challenge was overcome with the use of an unfilled resin liquid. Dr. Mary Kim felt that the composite slumped too much and did not find it easy to sculpt.

Esthetics: Shade Match & Polish

It’s the esthetics of Illusion Plus that really make the material shine. The composite is not only easy to finish to a high-gloss polish, but it features high color adaptability to surrounding tooth structure. “The shade matched perfectly, and it polished up well,” shared Dr. Horn, and Dr. Jackfert said that all evaluated shades (A1, A2, and A3) “matched very well to my VITA shade guide” and achieved a “nice shine.” While Dr. Marc Levin’s favorite feature was the color match, Dr. Mehler said, “The final esthetics could be improved.” Dr. Mark Offenback appreciated the “limited need for multiple shades” and that Illusion Plus “seems to have a chameleon effect.” Stating that esthetic results were harder to achieve on teeth that had previously had amalgams, Dr. Marianne Baran shared, “Illusion Plus is easy to polish and provides a good shade match for anterior restorations.”

“I especially liked its shade matching, ease of placement, and performance while placing and sculpting restorations.”
—John Horn, DMD; Hegins, PA

Versatility & Final Outcomes

Along with several other dentists, Dr. Horn appreciated Illusion Plus’ versatility for use in both the posterior and anterior. When asked about the material’s role in helping to achieve successful outcomes, he described “excellent results” in a recent No. 8 DFL case, and went on to say, “Most importantly, the patient was very pleased with the final result.” Dr. Mehler said he would recommend the composite to his colleagues because of its ease of use and versatility.

After using Illusion Plus for the top layer of a post and core, Dr. Jackfert was pleased to find that the restoration “held up very well.” Dr. Lee reported “excellent results” after heating the composite and injection molding the material into deep restorations.

Overall Satisfaction

Noting that she would definitely recommend Safco’s Illusion Plus universal composite to colleagues and hopes to purchase it in the future, Dr. Ausman described the restorative material as “a good product with good end results,” and Dr. Rashid called it “a great addition to dental composites.” After placing numerous posterior and anterior restorations with Illusion Plus, Dr. Horn concluded that the material “performed well” and called it “a quality composite at a reasonable price point.” He added, “I would definitely purchase it again depending on the price per unit.”

Takeaways

• Ideal for use in both anterior and posterior direct restorations
• Composite is easy to place, handle, and sculpt
• Lower sensitivity to ambient light provides an extended working time
• Nano technology and spherical particles encourage a high-gloss polish  
• High color adaptability to surrounding tooth structure