Dentists love the idea of single-shade composite systems. One of the most routine questions I get while speaking on restorative dentistry is about Omnichroma by Tokuyama Dental. The idea of a single-shade composite that can blend with any of the 16 Vita Classic shades is as alluring as a siren song.
While I have enjoyed Omnichroma, my problem with it was that I felt like I was taking a step back with my technique. Omnichroma, which came out a few years ago, was great for shading, but it could only be placed at 2 mm increments. I am used to bulk filling in the posterior, and going back to 2 mm increments was just a weird step back in time for my workflow. I always kept some Omnichroma around for situations with older people who had multiple different shades throughout their anterior region, but it was not something I used commonly.
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Then Omnichroma Flow came out. I loved having the choice between the two different consistencies: paste and flowable. Same problem there though: incremental fill. Even the original Omnichroma Flow could only be placed at 2 mm increments. Finally, we have an Omnichroma that can be placed using modern bulk-fill workflows.
Omnichroma Flow Bulk is a low-viscosity, light-cured composite resin that is built as a single-shade product. Just like its non-bulk-fill cousin, Omnichroma Flow Bulk is designed to match all 16 Vita Classic shades. It does so with Smart Chromatic Technology. No dyes or pigments are used to shade Omnichroma Flow Bulk. It derives the shade from the tooth surrounding it and the spherical fillers.
The difference that Omnichroma Flow Bulk brings is the depth of cure it can achieve. It can be placed at 3.5 mm increment depths. This material can be taken to full contour; no capping layer is required. If there is dark tooth structure in the preparation, a layer of Omnichroma Blocker Flow can be used to block that out and give a better esthetic outcome. If we skip this step, that darkness can show through and give a gray or dark appearance. Just 1 mm of Omnichroma Blocker Flow can make a huge difference.
Omnichroma Flow Bulk is a great choice for posterior restorations. It can also be used in the anterior, but frequently I need to have a little more body for anterior restorations. In those cases, I would choose traditional Omnichroma and Omnichroma Blocker.
Having a simple, easy option like Omnichroma Flow Bulk for class I and II restorations makes my life easier and makes shade-taking a no-brainer.
This article appeared in the February 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
