Highly Filled Flowable Composite Resins as Sole Restorative Materials: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry

Background:

• Minimally invasive dental procedures require precise, advanced restorative materials.
• Highly filled flowable resin composites offer simplified application and good initial results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the mechanical and optical properties of highly filled flowable composite resins.
• To evaluate their clinical performance, particularly in injection molding techniques.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus.
• Included 31 studies: 27 in vitro and 4 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs).
• Evaluated comparisons with conventional composites, glass ionomers, and compomers.

Main Results:

• Highly filled flowable composites possess adequate optical properties.
• Mechanical properties are inferior to medium-viscosity composite resins.
• Show favorable initial performance in injection molding and Class I/II restorations, but with limitations.

Conclusions:

• While offering benefits, mechanical limitations necessitate caution in extensive or high-stress applications.
• Careful patient and case selection is crucial for optimal clinical outcomes.
• Further RCTs are needed to fully establish long-term clinical efficacy.