Oscillation energy has been proposed in a new method to condense resin composites. The principle of this technique assumes that vibration lowers the viscosity of the resin, allowing the material to flow and easily adapt to the cavity walls, in a similar way as a flowable composite. The scope of the study was to assess the efficiency and quality of composite compaction, using one of these new devices. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The study included 20 class I cavities prepared in extracted human molars. The teeth were randomly divided into two groups of 10 cavities. Both groups were filled with composite material Filtek Z250 and the adhesive system Single Bond Plus Adhesive Adper TM Adhesive (3M ESPE). In the control group, condensation of the composite was done with standard instruments. In the experimental group, condensation was done using a vibration instrument: Compothixo (Kerr). The prepared sections were observed on a scanning electron microscope (SEM), VEGA II model LSH (TESCAN). RESULTS: When using Compothixo, the average working time was 8.53 min / restoration while, when using standard instruments, the average working time was 10.32 min, which seems to indicate that the vibration technique was more effective than traditional condensation. Microscopic images have shown that neither vibrating condensation nor manual condensation precluded the formation of a hiatus in some areas of the interface between the restoration and the cavity walls, especially in areas of small irregularities.
CONCLUSIONS: Condensation of composite resins can be faster when using vibrating instruments. Adaptation of the material to the cavity walls is comparable to that obtained by traditional techniques.
- composite resin
- restoration
- vibration