Do condensable composites help to achieve better proximal contacts?
OBJECTIVES: Obtaining acceptable contact areas with adjacent teeth is a significant challenge when placing direct resin composite in Class II preparations. It was the purpose of this laboratory study to evaluate the influence of the type of resin composite (‘packable’ vs conventional) and of the matrix system on the quality of the proximal contact area in Class II composite restorations. METHODS: A standardized DO cavity was prepared in 170 frasaco teeth. Two operators each filled 85 teeth in the same frasaco model using four resin composites [Solitaire (S), Surefil (Su), P60, Z100], three matrix systems [Automatrix (A), Palodent (P), Lucifix matrix (L)] and one hand instrument specially designed to achieve better proximal contacts [Belvedere Composite Contact Former (B)]. The teeth were subdivided into 17 groups (Z100/1-A, Z100/1-P, Z100/1-L, S-A, S-P, S-L, Z100/1-A-B, Z100/1-L-B, Su-A, Su-P, Su-L, P60-A, P60-P, P60-L, Z100/2-A, Z100/2-P, Z100/2-L). Each operator made five fillings of
