ST. PAUL, Minn. – (May 1, 2004) – 3M ESPE announced today that it has added four new shades to the 3M™ ESPE™ Filtek™ Supreme Universal Restorative line. Creating more esthetic options for dentists, 3M ESPE has added Dentin and Body bleach shades, XWD and XWB, respectively, in addition to two traditional dentin shades, A1D and A3D, which join the original 30 shades of Filtek Supreme universal restorative. The new shades are available June 1, 2004. “With the new Filtek Supreme universal restorative shades, dentists have increased flexibility when layering or working with lighter tooth shades, which are becoming more prevalent as tooth whitening continues to grow,” said Dawn McArthur, marketing supervisor, 3M ESPE. “Dentists are looking for more esthetic options in restorative materials and 3M ESPE is dedicated to meeting those needs with new product solutions.”
Approaching the two-year mark since its introduction to the industry, Filtek Supreme universal restorative continues to be a leading restorative solution in the dental market as it builds upon its rich clinical history. As the first nanocomposite introduced to the marketplace, it has ushered in a new era for composite materials, offering dentists more esthetic options without sacrificing a restoration’s strength and longevity.
The nanosized filler particles used in Filtek Supreme universal restorative allow for the polishability and polish retention typical of a microfill, yet also provide the excellent handling, strength and wear properties that are needed for universal indications. The unique range of shades and opacities allows for excellent results with either single or multi-shade restorations. The new restorative is now available in 34 shades and four opacities – dentin, enamel, body and translucent.
3M™ ESPE™ Filtek™ Supreme Universal Restorative marks 3M ESPE’s first use of nanotechnology, where two fillers – nanoparticles and nanoclusters – are used to achieve a combination of strength and esthetics beyond what current restoratives offer. The nanoparticles are individual filler particles, either 20 or 75 nm in size (0.02 or 0.075 microns, respectively). Nanoclusters are loosely agglomerated collections or clusters of nanoparticles.
The combination of nanoparticles and nanoclusters give Filtek Supreme universal restorative the edge over hybrid composites in polish and polish retention. “In restoratives, the smaller the particle size, the better the polishability,” continued McArthur. The average particle size of fillers in microhybrids is 0.4 to 0.6 microns. As these materials are abraded, the surface smoothness is reduced by filler particles protruding from the surface and loss of filler particles resulting in formation of craters. In the Filtek Supreme universal restorative, however, the nanoparticles of the cluster, not the entire cluster, wear away during abrasion.
Moreover, the combination of nanoparticles and nanoclusters allows for high filler loading and thus the high strength of hybrids and microhybrids with superior handling characteristics.
In addition to Filtek Supreme universal restorative’s other benefits, 3M ESPE also has developed a unique and easy-to-use shade selection system that helps match the VitaPan® Classical Shade Guide. The 3M™ ESPE™ Shade Selector Wheel simplifies the shade selection process and serves as a guide for placing one to four layers of composite. Whether opting for single or multiple shading, dentists will be able to meet their patient's most challenging expectations.
### 3M ESPE manufactures and markets more than 2,000 products and services designed to help dental professionals improve their patients’ oral health care. Trusted brands include Filtek™ Restorative Materials, Impregum™ Impression Materials and Pentamix™ Mixing Unit, RelyX™ Cements, Adper™ Adhesives, Sof-Lex™ Finishing and Polishing Systems and Imprint™ II Impression Material. For more information on the complete 3M ESPE line of dental products, visit the 3M ESPE Web site at www.3MESPE.com or call the 3M ESPE Technical Hotline at 1-800-634-2249. Products are available for purchase through authorized 3M ESPE distributors.
3M, ESPE, Filtek, RelyX, Impregum, Pentamix, Adper, Sof-Lex and Imprint are trademarks of 3M ESPE or 3M ESPE AG.
VitaPan is a registered trademark of VITA Zahnfabrik, H. Rauter Gmbh & Co. KG.