Three-Year Practice-Based Clinical Trial on the Performance of a Self-Adhesive Resin-Based Bulk-Fill Restorative

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry

Background:

• Self-adhesive resin-based materials offer simplified placement in dental restorations.
• Bulk-fill composites aim to improve efficiency in restoring cavities.
• Long-term clinical data on novel self-adhesive bulk-fill materials are crucial for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the clinical performance of a self-adhesive, dual-curing composite hybrid (Surefil one) in bulk-fill restorations.
• To assess the longevity and clinical acceptability of this novel restorative material over a 3-year period.
• To determine the annual failure rate of these restorations in various cavity classes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective clinical study involving 7 general dental practitioners.
• 60 cavities (Class I, II, V) in 41 subjects were restored with the self-adhesive bulk-fill composite.
• Restorations were evaluated annually using modified USPHS criteria for 3 years, with failure defined as replacement or repair.

Main Results:

• After 3 years, 29 recalled teeth remained vital with no hypersensitivity.
• Three restorations failed (annual failure rate of 3.94%), one due to cracking, two due to marginal gap/chipping.
• Remaining restorations were clinically acceptable, with Class II restorations maintaining proximal contact and two showing color mismatch.

Conclusions:

• The self-adhesive composite hybrid demonstrated acceptable clinical outcomes up to 3 years in load-bearing (Class I, II) and non-retentive (Class V) cavities.
• Three-year data support the suitability of this novel self-adhesive restorative material for stress-bearing posterior restorations.
• The material's performance in daily routine placement indicates its potential for widespread clinical adoption.