Bulk fill composites in dentistry- A review

Resin based composite is the most accepted material for the restoration of decayed tooth. To improve the composite material in physical, clinical, as well as to facilitate manipulation technique various modifications have been done in its structure. Polymerization shrinkage stress, being its major drawback which affects the core of the filling and its bonding with tooth structure. This polymerization shrinkage would lead to numerous clinical consequences such as poor marginal adaptation, resulting into microleakage, development of secondary caries and subsequent pulpal inflammation. Another drawback being reduction in degree of conversion which affects the physical properties and increases the monomer proportion, which could lead to post operative sensitivity and early failure of composite filling. Bulk fill composite is recently introduced as an advancement in resin based restoration which claims to overcome the drawback of conventional composite. Therefore the review of this literature could be a helpful for dentists to use these new promising restorative materials with long term clinical outcome.