Three-year clinical evaluation of two flowable composites.

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Flowable composite resins offer advantages in handling and viscosity for dental restorations.
• Understanding their long-term clinical performance in occlusal caries is crucial for effective treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical efficacy of two specific flowable composite resins, Tetric Flow and Esthet-X Flow, in restoring occlusal caries lesions.
• To evaluate their performance over a 3-year period.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 63 teeth with occlusal caries restored with either Tetric Flow or Esthet-X Flow.
• Restorations were evaluated at multiple time points up to 36 months for various clinical parameters using modified Ryge criteria.

Main Results:

• Esthet-X Flow showed a statistically significant advantage in color match (P = .0467).
• Marginal discoloration and adaptation significantly worsened over 36 months (P = .0164 and P = .0001, respectively).
• Polishability also showed a significant decline at 36 months (P = .0066).

Conclusions:

• Flowable composite resins are best indicated for small occlusal restorations, such as preventive resin restorations.
• Restoration size was associated with poorer color match outcomes.
• Long-term clinical performance necessitates careful consideration of material selection and restoration size.