Comprehensive Evaluation of Six Flowable Composite Resins in the Market: A Comparative Study
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the mechanical and physical properties of six commercially available flowable dental composite resins, providing critical insights for informed material selection.
Materials and Methods: Six flowable composite resin materials namely Edge Flow (EDF), Opallis Flow (OPF), Els Flow (ELF), Denfil Flow (DFF), DX Flow (DXF), and Charisma Flow (CHF) were tested according to ISO 4049 standards. Each material underwent evaluation of depth of cure, flexural strength, solubility, water sorption, and radiopacity. Statistical analyses with ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey test were conducted to identify significant differences among the six study groups (alpha=0.05).
Results: Significant material-specific differences were noted in depth of cure and flexural strength among the six study groups (P<0.05). Solubility and water sorption profiles were also significantly different among the study groups (P<0.05). All tested composite resins met the required radiopacity standards, ensuring accurate radiographic diagnosis and monitoring. However, none of the composite groups achieved an exact color match with the A2 reference shade.
Conclusion: This study revealed significant differences in mechanical properties of flowable composites, particularly in depth of cure and flexural strength, underscoring the importance of selecting the appropriate material. Shade matching presented ongoing challenges, emphasizing the need for careful material selection. Future research should explore long-term clinical performance and standardized methods for handling of pre-test failures.
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2. Shouha P, Swain M, Ellakwa A. The effect of fiber aspect ratio and volume loading on the flexural properties of flowable dental composite. Dent Mater. 2014 Nov;30(11):1234–44.
3. Vouvoudi EC. Overviews on the progress of flowable dental polymeric composites: their composition, polymerization process, flowability and radiopacity aspects. Polymers. 2022 Jan;14(19):4182.
4. Yokesh CA, Hemalatha P, Muthalagu M, Justin MR. Comparative evaluation of the depth of cure and degree of conversion of two bulk fill flowable composites. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Aug;11(8):ZC86–9.
5. Par M, Plančak L, Ratkovski L, Tauböck TT, Marovic D, Attin T, et al. Improved flexural properties of experimental resin composites functionalized with a customized low-sodium bioactive glass. Polymers. 2022 Jan;14(20):4289.
6. Rusnac ME, Prodan D, Cuc S, Petean I, Prejmerean C, Gasparik C, et al. Water sorption and solubility of flowable giomers. Materials (Basel). 2021 May;14(9):2399.
7. Saba DA, Abdel Gawad FKI, Abd Ellatif MA. In vitro assessment of water sorption, solubility, and surface roughness of compomer and giomer materials after immersion in different beverages. Egypt Dent J. 2017 Jan;63(1):205–14.
8. Gul P, Çaglayan F, Akgul N, Akgul HM. Comparison of radiopacity of different composite resins. J Conserv Dent. 2017 Jan;20(1):17–20.
9. Moore BK, Platt JA, Borges G, Chu TMG, Katsilieri I. Depth of cure of dental resin composites: ISO 4049 depth and microhardness of types of materials and shades. Oper Dent. 2008 Jul;33(4):408–12.
10. Lynch CD, Hayashi M, Seow LL, Blum IR, Wilson NHF. The management of defective resin composite restorations: current trends in dental school teaching in Japan. Oper Dent. 2013 Sep;38(5):497–504.
11. Karatas O, Turel V, Bayindir YZ. Temperature rise during polymerization of different cavity liners and composite resins. J Conserv Dent. 2015 Nov;18(6):431–5.
12. Monte Alto RV, Guimarães JGA, Poskus LT, Silva EM da. Depth of cure of dental composites submitted to different light-curing modes. J Appl Oral Sci. 2006 Apr;14:71–6.
13. Halvorson RH, Erickson RL, Davidson CL. The effect of filler and silane content on conversion of resin-based composite. Dent Mater. 2003 Jun;19(4):327–33.
14. Lempel E, Czibulya Z, Kovács B, Szalma J, Tóth Á, Kunsági-Máté S, et al. Degree of conversion and BisGMA, TEGDMA, UDMA elution from flowable bulk fill composites. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 May;17(5):732.
15. Pereira SG, Osorio R, Toledano M, Cabrerizo-Vílchez MA, Nunes TG, Kalachandra S. Novel light-cured resins and composites with improved physicochemical properties. Dent Mater. 2007 Oct;23(10):1189–98.
16. Yadav R, Kumar M. Investigation of the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of nano and microsized particulate-filled dental composite material. J Compos Mater. 2020 Aug;54(19):2623–33.
17. Li W, Wang K, Wang Z, Li B. Optimal resin monomer ratios for light-cured dental resins. Heliyon. 2022 Sep;8(9).
18. Faria-e-Silva AL, Pfeifer CS. Impact of thio-urethane additive and filler type on light-transmission and depth of polymerization of dental composites. Dent Mater. 2017 Nov;33(11):1274–85.
19. Díaz-Rodríguez S de la C, Tarano-Artigas O, Herrera-Kao W, Cauich-Rodríguez JV, Cervantes-Uc JM, Rosa-Sainz A, et al. Effect of the silanization of aerosil OX50 in the properties of light-cured dental composites. Appl Sci. 2024 Jan;14(6):2453.
20. Wang W, Sun X, Huang L, Gao Y, Ban J, Shen L, et al. Structure-property relationships in hybrid dental nanocomposite resins containing monofunctional and multifunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes. Int J Nanomedicine. 2014;9:841–52.
21. International Organization for Standardization. Dentistry-Polymer-based Restorative Materials [Internet]. ISO; 2019. Available from: https://www.iso.org/standard/67596.html
22. Ryou DB, Park HS, Kim KH, Kwon TY. Use of flowable composites for orthodontic bracket bonding. Angle Orthod. 2008 Nov;78(6):1105–9.
23. Shaalan OO, Abou-Auf E, El Zoghby AF. Clinical evaluation of flowable resin composite versus conventional resin composite in carious and noncarious lesions: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Conserv Dent Endod. 2017 Dec;20(6):380.
24. Seemann R, Pfefferkorn F, Hickel R. Behaviour of general dental practitioners in Germany regarding posterior restorations with flowable composites. Int Dent J. 2020 Nov;61(5):252–6.
25. Sirisha K, Rambabu T, Ravishankar Y, Ravikumar P. Validity of bond strength tests: A critical review-Part II. J Conserv Dent. 2014 Sep;17(5):420–6.
26. Armstrong S, Breschi L, Özcan M, Pfefferkorn F, Ferrari M, Van Meerbeek B. Academy of Dental Materials guidance on in vitro testing of dental composite bonding effectiveness to dentin/enamel using micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) approach. Dent Mater. 2017 Feb;33(2):133–43.
27. Borges AH, Pedro FL, Semanoff-Segundo A, Miranda CE, Pécora JD, Cruz Filho AM. Radiopacity evaluation of Portland and MTA-based cements by digital radiographic system. J Appl Oral Sci. 2011;19(3):228–32.
28. Anzai M, Yoshihashi K, Hirose H, Mino M, Kitoh K, Narikawa M, et al. Basic studies of radiopaque resin monomer (III). Physical properties of trial composite resins. J Nihon Univ Sch Dent. 1993 Dec;35(4):244–51.
29. Altintas SH, Yildirim T, Kayipmaz S, Usumez A. Evaluation of the radiopacity of luting cements by digital radiography. J Prosthodont. 2013 Jun;22(4):282–6.
30. Blum IR, Lynch CD, Wilson NH. Factors influencing repair of dental restorations with resin composite. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2014;6:81–7.
31. Alqarni M, Khalil SN, Obied ES, Alshehri MM, Assiri MA, Mualwi SA, et al. Knowledge about composite restorations repair vs replacement- a survey among a subpopulation of saudi dental students. Braz Dent Sci. 2021;24(1):1–8.
32. Arregui M, Giner L, Ferrari M, Vallés M, Mercadé M. Six-month color change and water sorption of 9 new-generation flowable composites in 6 staining solutions. Braz oral res. 2016 Nov;30:e123.
2. Shouha P, Swain M, Ellakwa A. The effect of fiber aspect ratio and volume loading on the flexural properties of flowable dental composite. Dent Mater. 2014 Nov;30(11):1234–44.
3. Vouvoudi EC. Overviews on the progress of flowable dental polymeric composites: their composition, polymerization process, flowability and radiopacity aspects. Polymers. 2022 Jan;14(19):4182.
4. Yokesh CA, Hemalatha P, Muthalagu M, Justin MR. Comparative evaluation of the depth of cure and degree of conversion of two bulk fill flowable composites. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Aug;11(8):ZC86–9.
5. Par M, Plančak L, Ratkovski L, Tauböck TT, Marovic D, Attin T, et al. Improved flexural properties of experimental resin composites functionalized with a customized low-sodium bioactive glass. Polymers. 2022 Jan;14(20):4289.
6. Rusnac ME, Prodan D, Cuc S, Petean I, Prejmerean C, Gasparik C, et al. Water sorption and solubility of flowable giomers. Materials (Basel). 2021 May;14(9):2399.
7. Saba DA, Abdel Gawad FKI, Abd Ellatif MA. In vitro assessment of water sorption, solubility, and surface roughness of compomer and giomer materials after immersion in different beverages. Egypt Dent J. 2017 Jan;63(1):205–14.
8. Gul P, Çaglayan F, Akgul N, Akgul HM. Comparison of radiopacity of different composite resins. J Conserv Dent. 2017 Jan;20(1):17–20.
9. Moore BK, Platt JA, Borges G, Chu TMG, Katsilieri I. Depth of cure of dental resin composites: ISO 4049 depth and microhardness of types of materials and shades. Oper Dent. 2008 Jul;33(4):408–12.
10. Lynch CD, Hayashi M, Seow LL, Blum IR, Wilson NHF. The management of defective resin composite restorations: current trends in dental school teaching in Japan. Oper Dent. 2013 Sep;38(5):497–504.
11. Karatas O, Turel V, Bayindir YZ. Temperature rise during polymerization of different cavity liners and composite resins. J Conserv Dent. 2015 Nov;18(6):431–5.
12. Monte Alto RV, Guimarães JGA, Poskus LT, Silva EM da. Depth of cure of dental composites submitted to different light-curing modes. J Appl Oral Sci. 2006 Apr;14:71–6.
13. Halvorson RH, Erickson RL, Davidson CL. The effect of filler and silane content on conversion of resin-based composite. Dent Mater. 2003 Jun;19(4):327–33.
14. Lempel E, Czibulya Z, Kovács B, Szalma J, Tóth Á, Kunsági-Máté S, et al. Degree of conversion and BisGMA, TEGDMA, UDMA elution from flowable bulk fill composites. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 May;17(5):732.
15. Pereira SG, Osorio R, Toledano M, Cabrerizo-Vílchez MA, Nunes TG, Kalachandra S. Novel light-cured resins and composites with improved physicochemical properties. Dent Mater. 2007 Oct;23(10):1189–98.
16. Yadav R, Kumar M. Investigation of the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of nano and microsized particulate-filled dental composite material. J Compos Mater. 2020 Aug;54(19):2623–33.
17. Li W, Wang K, Wang Z, Li B. Optimal resin monomer ratios for light-cured dental resins. Heliyon. 2022 Sep;8(9).
18. Faria-e-Silva AL, Pfeifer CS. Impact of thio-urethane additive and filler type on light-transmission and depth of polymerization of dental composites. Dent Mater. 2017 Nov;33(11):1274–85.
19. Díaz-Rodríguez S de la C, Tarano-Artigas O, Herrera-Kao W, Cauich-Rodríguez JV, Cervantes-Uc JM, Rosa-Sainz A, et al. Effect of the silanization of aerosil OX50 in the properties of light-cured dental composites. Appl Sci. 2024 Jan;14(6):2453.
20. Wang W, Sun X, Huang L, Gao Y, Ban J, Shen L, et al. Structure-property relationships in hybrid dental nanocomposite resins containing monofunctional and multifunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes. Int J Nanomedicine. 2014;9:841–52.
21. International Organization for Standardization. Dentistry-Polymer-based Restorative Materials [Internet]. ISO; 2019. Available from: https://www.iso.org/standard/67596.html
22. Ryou DB, Park HS, Kim KH, Kwon TY. Use of flowable composites for orthodontic bracket bonding. Angle Orthod. 2008 Nov;78(6):1105–9.
23. Shaalan OO, Abou-Auf E, El Zoghby AF. Clinical evaluation of flowable resin composite versus conventional resin composite in carious and noncarious lesions: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Conserv Dent Endod. 2017 Dec;20(6):380.
24. Seemann R, Pfefferkorn F, Hickel R. Behaviour of general dental practitioners in Germany regarding posterior restorations with flowable composites. Int Dent J. 2020 Nov;61(5):252–6.
25. Sirisha K, Rambabu T, Ravishankar Y, Ravikumar P. Validity of bond strength tests: A critical review-Part II. J Conserv Dent. 2014 Sep;17(5):420–6.
26. Armstrong S, Breschi L, Özcan M, Pfefferkorn F, Ferrari M, Van Meerbeek B. Academy of Dental Materials guidance on in vitro testing of dental composite bonding effectiveness to dentin/enamel using micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) approach. Dent Mater. 2017 Feb;33(2):133–43.
27. Borges AH, Pedro FL, Semanoff-Segundo A, Miranda CE, Pécora JD, Cruz Filho AM. Radiopacity evaluation of Portland and MTA-based cements by digital radiographic system. J Appl Oral Sci. 2011;19(3):228–32.
28. Anzai M, Yoshihashi K, Hirose H, Mino M, Kitoh K, Narikawa M, et al. Basic studies of radiopaque resin monomer (III). Physical properties of trial composite resins. J Nihon Univ Sch Dent. 1993 Dec;35(4):244–51.
29. Altintas SH, Yildirim T, Kayipmaz S, Usumez A. Evaluation of the radiopacity of luting cements by digital radiography. J Prosthodont. 2013 Jun;22(4):282–6.
30. Blum IR, Lynch CD, Wilson NH. Factors influencing repair of dental restorations with resin composite. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2014;6:81–7.
31. Alqarni M, Khalil SN, Obied ES, Alshehri MM, Assiri MA, Mualwi SA, et al. Knowledge about composite restorations repair vs replacement- a survey among a subpopulation of saudi dental students. Braz Dent Sci. 2021;24(1):1–8.
32. Arregui M, Giner L, Ferrari M, Vallés M, Mercadé M. Six-month color change and water sorption of 9 new-generation flowable composites in 6 staining solutions. Braz oral res. 2016 Nov;30:e123.
| Issue | Vol 22 (Continuously Published Article-Based) | |
| Section | Original Article | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/fid.v22i28.19206 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Composite Resins Flowable Hybrid Composite Mechanical Tests | ||
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Abtahi S, Omidian S, Sherafatmand Y, Tayebi G, Ranjbar Hassani A. Comprehensive Evaluation of Six Flowable Composite Resins in the Market: A Comparative Study. Front Dent. 2025;22.
