Introduction:
This is a simple procedure that I know many of us are doing so it's a nice review. Here I'm using Apex Dental Materials products including Clean and Boost, Bondsaver D, Superb, Titan Flowable, Seamfree and Exquisite. I'm using the Valo light set on it's highest setting ("Xtra Power") of 3200 mW/cm2. Slot preps are very simple to do, but to be successful they require the same attention to detail as more advanced preps. Exquisite is not a "bulk fill" material. Unlike the "bulk fills" it's a highly filled material. The "bulk fills" are lightly filled to allow the light to penetrate deeper. We've been able to cure Exquisite to a 4 mm depth, so in these smaller preps we can place just one increment. In deeper preps I'm usually placing 3 triangular shaped increments. Because Exquisite is a very low shrinkage/low stress composite (due to the molecular configuration) we can cure it really fast without tearing apart the enamel margins ("white lines"). With traditional composites you need to be pulse curing 2 mm thick increments to avoid "white lines" with your light set on 1000 mW/cm2.
Conclusion:
I did three things to speed up this procedure. I used Superb, a one bottle bonding system. I used Exquisite so I could cure 4 mm increments and in this case place just one increment, and, because I'm using Exquisite I turned my Valo up to "Xtra Power" so I only needed to cure each add for 3 seconds, and then a final cure of 9 seconds. We know "bulk filling" is popular and speed is important, but we know the "bulk fill" materials will not wear very well over time because they aren't highly filled. Here's a fast procedure for you with excellent materials that will hold up over time. Hope this helps - Tom