Finishing and Polishing

While resin composite and ceramic dental materials continue to evolve, finishing and polishing both types of restorations remains a necessary step in the restorative process. Finishing is required to adjust occlusion and contacts and remove flash. Polishing is necessary not only for providing an esthetic result but also to improve oral health by limiting plaque build-up, improving marginal integrity, and reducing/removing micro-fractures. Dentists continue to seek out more simplified and effective tools and methods to achieve these results. This issue of THE DENTAL ADVISOR focuses on the available finishing and polishing kits and tools available for both composite and ceramic restorations. Data from our Dental Advisor Biomaterials Laboratory related to measuring gloss of these restorative materials are also included.

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