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Product Profile: Kerr SonicFill by Dr. Michael Colleran

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SonicFill

A testimonial by Dr. Michael Colleran

When I first heard of Kerr’s efforts to produce a bulk-fill product that could make posterior composites quick enough to be profitable, yet clinically sound enough to satisfy the clinician and patient, I was skeptical. Other major dental manufacturers have treaded the bulk-fill posterior road, and the resulting solutions were either not popular, too complex or didn’t work.

I still have vivid memories of the flowable composites of the 1990s, which looked bad and didn’t last. The percentage of fill in those flowables was so low that the carrier resin would wear out very quickly, and frequently require replacing within two years.

Recently, a number of reliable “dental endorsement” in the industry started rating Kerr’s bulk-fill solution – the SonicFill system – very highly.

Now, after using the material three months, I’ve found both the material and the delivery system perform way beyond expectations. Initial clinical appearance of restorations is very similar to a filling that would have taken an additional 10 to 15 minutes to complete using a conventional multi-increment method.

The way I see it, SonicFill offers three big and distinct advantages over conventional composites: initial flowability that enables good marginal adaptation, low shrinkage and depth of cure.

In regard to flowability, the sonic energy emitted from the SonicFill handpiece makes the material flow three times as much as conventional composite. Even though the material is very flowable when extruded with the sonic vibration, it soon stays where you put it. It adapts to the preparation and is soon ready to carve anatomy.

Giving the qualities of excellent depth of cure and low shrinkage to a restoration creates longevity. Kerr was able to achieve both. The depth of cure is very predictable at 5mm and 1.6 percent shrinkage due to an 83 percent filled by weight (most composites are 75 to 70 percent or less).

Aside from the fact that it was a new product, I was also initially hesitant about the cost of getting into the new system since a handpiece is required.

The handpiece is key to the system’s success, and is quite a marvel of design and function. The handpiece both extrudes the material and creates the sonic energy, making the material highly flowable. The upfront cost of the handpiece made me hesitate. But in retrospect, it was absolutely worth it. The first time I used it, I was amazed with the effectiveness and speed of this system.

Looking forward, I see an easy payoff of the SonicFill investment in a number of areas, including ease of use and lowering the stress and risk from those monster fills. It’s saving between three and 15 minutes or more per procedure. It easily seals margins with no voids.

With SonicFill, I now find that the hardest part of a large filling is the prepping, instead of a difficult, tedious, technique-sensitive restorative material procedure.

SonicFill is easier, better, faster. And that’s what it’s all about.

Author's Bio
Dr. Michael Colleran was raised in Burbank, California, and is a fifth generation Californian. He attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo for undergraduate and UOP, in San Francisco for dental school. After graduation he lived in the Sacramento area, practicing in Placerville and Citrus Heights. Wanting to get closer to family, he moved in 2002 to the San Luis Obispo area.
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