New 3M™ Filtek™ Universal Restorative will make a dentist’s life simpler

3M's new Filtek Universal Restorative ensures strong and aesthetic restorations while simplifying the shading process to improve productivity.

For busy dental professionals, a variety of responsibilities and tasks make staying on schedule a challenge. Implementing time-saving products and procedures is crucial to meeting these daily demands and even simple changes can make a significant difference.

In order to help dentists increase efficiencies, 3M has introduced 3M Filtek Universal Restorative - a new universal composite that offers a modernised approach to anterior and posterior restorations, with a simplified shading process and advanced composite technology to provide strong and aesthetic results.

On average, dentists choose to use a single-shade restoration for roughly 80 percent of the cases they perform (3M Market Research, January 2018 (US, Russia, UK, Brazil, Germany)). Knowing efficiency is key, 3M has simplified the overall shade selection process. and developed eight simple designer shades, plus an Extra White (XW) that cover the 19 VITA classical and bleach shades (3M Data on File).

A Pink Opaquer has also been created to mask metal and stained dentition. In addition, the shades have one universal opacity to meet most clinical needs.

Science and collaboration are at the heart of everything 3M create; Filtek Universal Restorative combines multiple technologies into one overall approach called "NaturalMatch" to allow matching composite shades to the shade of the tooth. Propriety low-stress monomers reduce shrinkage stress, while use of nanofillers creates a true nanocomposite that provides high strength, aesthetics and excellent wear resistance (Data on file).

Filtek Universal Restorative also features capsules that can be warmed and an improved tip design that allows the material to extrude like a flowable composite and then become more viscous for shaping. At 8 mm, the tip is longer than previous universal capsules, which enables good adaptation, even in hard to reach areas.

"Dentists are pulled in many different directions every day, with countless to-dos that stack up while they serve their patients. That's why 3M wanted to create a solution that helps them cut down on steps and remove some of that stress," said Sebastian Arana, President & General Manager, Oral Solutions Division of 3M. "The new Filtek Universal Restorative combines a unique shading system in an innovative material that not only provides efficiency but a highly aesthetic and long-lasting result."