Voids in Sonic Fill(TM) restorations compared to traditional incrementally-filled composite restorations

SonicFill(TM) is a new composite resin and delivery system designed to provide rapid filling of cavity preparations by decreasing viscosity through application of sonic energy. However, it may produce unwanted air voids in the final restoration due to the short filling time. Air voids compromise long-term performance by providing weak foci, discontinuity at cavosurface margins and at internal cavity walls, and potential crack propagation. This study assessed the locations, sizes, and numbers of voids in SonicFill restorations compared with traditional composite resin restorations in a set of extracted molars with mesio-occlusal-distal (MOD) cavity preparations. Fifty noncarious intact extracted third molars were collected randomly from a large collection of discarded anonymous tooth specimens. Standardized MOD cavity preparations were cut, and teeth were assigned randomly to one of two groups ( n = 25). The first group was restored with SonicFill composite in two steps. The second group was restored with Herculite Ultra(TM) using an multiple increment layering technique (1-2 mm per layer). Cross-sectional images of the filling were taken by digital microscope. A total of 196 voids were found in the 50 specimens: 97 in SonicFill restorations and 99 in conventional restorations. Mean number of voids in SonicFill restorations was 3.88 versus 3.96 for conventional restorations. Mean percentage of void area in SonicFill restorations was 0.588% versus 0.508% for conventional restorations. Unpaired t tests for these differences indicated no statistically significant differences (p =.931 and p =.629, respectively). One-way ANOVA tests for mean void count and mean void area percentage differences by three location zones for conventional and SonicFill restorations also indicated no significant differences among the groups. The bulk-fill SonicFill system does not result in increased or decreased numbers or ii area of voids within Class II MOD restorations compared with a conventional composite resin layering system.