Product Selection Guidelines

The selection of suitable materials or appropriate combinations of materials for a given clinical application requires in depth understanding of the features and limitations of available dental products. The following recommendations apply:

In applications where low curing shrinkage, high wear resistance, low water sorption, excellent x-ray opacity, and low coefficient of thermal expansion are of concern, such as for large posterior restorations, the use of highly filled, preferably hybrid-type, light-cure restoratives is recommended. Sci-Pharm CuRay-Fil and CuRay-II are specifically designed to meet such requirements. Alternatively, their self-cured counterpart, Sci-Pharm Anterior/Posterior Composite Restorative, may also be used.

Where thinner consistency materials are desirable (i.e., in making shallow Class V restorations; for repairing minor structural enamel defects; masking discoloration; or bonding prefabricated veneers) lower viscosity flowable hybrid-type composites such as Sci-Pharm CuRay-Match would be the material of choice.
To enhance bonding of resin-based restoratives and cements to enamel and dentin, or to prevent marginal leakage, the application of bonding agents (such as Sci-Pharm Enamel Bonding Agent or Dentin/Enamel Bonding Agent) is indicated.

It should be remembered that resin-based restoratives and cements are incompatible with eugenol-based materials. Consequently, non-eugenol temporary restoratives and cements (e.g., Sci-Pharm Tempo-Rex, Until, and Fastfil) are the materials of choice prior to application of permanent resin-based restoratives or luting agents.