Catapult Education evaluators test out this flowable composite, then award it the Catapult Vote of Confidence.
Flowable and injectable composites have become all the rage in dentistry. It seems as if a new one is released every week. Very few of these materials have characteristics that make them significantly different from others on the market. Catapult Educators evaluated a new injectable product that appears to be unique: everX Flow™ by GC America, a short fiber-reinforced flowable composite for dentin replacement.
Instances of bruxism have increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which led to tooth cracking and weakened dentition.
Newspaper articles, message boards, and social media posts by dental health professionals demonstrated a considerable increase in fractured and previously unrestorable teeth because of increased clenching and grinding habits. There is a mandate for dentists to look for products that help decrease this trend.
But dental health professionals can now use everX Flow to reinforce cracked teeth and help stop crack propagation in these situations. The short glass fibers in everX Flow increase the strength and fracture toughness of the material, just as rebar adds to the strength of highway construction cement.1
GC America’s G-ænial™ line of injectable composites is renowned for its excellent handling characteristics, strength, and polishability. everX Flow shares the comfortable handling characteristics of the company’s other injectable composites but adds more strength, making it an ideal core material, with or without a post.1 The glass fibers that give it the added strength necessitate that it be veneered 1 to 2 mm with a light-cured composite to cover the fiber layer.
everX Flow™
Designed to work similar to rebar in a construction project, everX Flow is a composite substructure material that incorporates glass microfibers and full silane coverage technologies to reportedly strengthen both restorations and weakened tooth structure from within. It is suited for use as a dentin replacement in bulk fill and core buildup procedures. It can also be applied to help prevent or repair cracked dentition in endodontic cases.
The material comes in bulk and dentin shades. The bulk shade allows for a 5.5-mm depth of cure, making it ideal for use with a fiber post, and it is ideal for bulk-fill situations. The thixotropic viscosity of the material allows it to flow and adapt well to the cavity floor without slumping, even on maxillary posterior teeth. The dentin shade cures to a depth of 2.0 mm and is suited for both core buildups and when esthetic results are important to the case outcome. Once this material is placed and cured, it is designed to be covered with a layer of conventional composite.
Seventeen members of Catapult Education reviewed everX Flow. The product was used in various clinical situations including Class I to V direct restorations and core buildups. A variety of composite formulations were stated with resin-modified glass ionomers and glass ionomers. The everX Flow’s performance reflected the multiple options for direct restorative dentistry and posed the first question to ponder: Will everX Flow fit into an armamentarium of such product offerings? Jumping to the answer, 70% of the group members said they would purchase this product, and over 50% stated they would use this product multiple times a day.
Other notable results from the evaluation showed that:
Although it is difficult for any composite to gain a foothold considering the multitude of flowable and injectable products on the market, GC America has garnered a reputation for creating high-end, quality injectable products. The evaluators at Catapult Education concluded that everX Flow could become another game changer in the industry. Any product that can lead to fewer fractured teeth, with good marginal adaptation and added strength, is something that should be considered for every dental practice.
