Dental Asia March/April 2019

User Report
Amalgam GIC Cention N
Permanent restorations Yes Restrictions apply Yes
Fillings in permanent teeth Yes Restrictions apply to the range of indications Yes
Fillings in deciduous teeth No Yes Yes
High mechanical strength Yes No Yes
Lifelike appearance No No Yes
Calcium and fluoride release No Yes Yes
OH ion releasing No No Yes
Optional light-curing No No/Yes Yes
Table 1: Comparison of the properties of basic filling materials: amalgam, glass ionomer (GIC) and Cention N
UV-coated mixing pads should be used for
mixing the material. If other mixing pads
are used, the liquid would be absorbed.
The powder-liquid ratio is 1:1, one scoop
of Cention N powder to one drop of liquid.
It is essential that the liquid is devoid of air
bubbles. If restoring a large cavity, more
material can be used. The correct mixing
ratio must be used at all times to achieve
the desired consistency. The setting time
is five minutes from the start of mixing
the two components. The material should
be mixed evenly on a wide area. If the
components are mixed together properly,
a composite-like consistency results and
the mixture is not sticky and is easy to
handle and pack into the cavity.
Marginal seal
The marginal seal is always a concern for
the clinician when placing an adhesive
restoration. An important topic in relation
to Cention N is the marginal gap and the
processes taking place in the marginal
gap if no adhesive is used. Studies have
shown that the marginal gap ranges from
15 to 40 μm, theoretically, these gaps
may lead to discolouration. According
to the literature, however, this does
not automatically translate into caries.
For carious processes to take place in
the margin, the gap must be at least a
100 μm. In addition, the ion release of
Cention N provides an effective marginal
seal. There is therefore no reason to be
concerned about the marginal gap.
An effective alternative to amalgam
and glass-ionomer cement
If all the above facts are taken into
account, Cention N can be regarded as an
effective alternative to conventional basic
filling materials. This material is designed
to overcome the drawbacks of amalgam
and glass ionomer cements.
Case 1
A 35-year-old patient presented with
a fractured restoration in her right
posterior area. The clinical examination
revealed a filling that was fractured in the
disto-occlusal region on teeth 46
(Fig. 1). There were no related symptoms
and the tooth tested vital. This was a case
for a Class II restoration with Cention N. A
retentive cavity was prepared (Fig. 2) and
a sectional matrix was placed, followed by
an OptraGate retractor and cotton rolls
(Fig. 3). The filling was condensed. It
blends in well with the surrounding tooth
structure, as can be seen on the image
taken directly after the restoration was
placed (Fig. 4). At the two-week recall,
the restoration showed a satisfactory
integration. The patient was happy with
the function of the filling (Fig. 5). The
findings at the two-year recall were
satisfactory, as can be seen on the image
(Fig. 6) and the radiograph (Fig. 7). The
restoration was intact and the margins
were in excellent condition – all in all, a
very satisfying result.
Fig. 1: Preop of fractured filling on tooth 46
Fig. 2: Retentive cavity preparation on tooth 46
Fig. 3: Isolation and placement of Cention N
MARCH / APRIL 2019 DENTAL ASIA 51