The SimpliShade™ Bulk Fill – A work of Art3

A good restoration is something like a work of art, one which requires an in-depth understanding of the procedure’s many aspects. Placement, sculpting, shade matching, and more all come together to provide the patient with an accurate, durable restoration of a functioning tooth. While the aspects of this procedure may vary significantly patient-to-patient, it is difficult to overstate one important component of any good restoration, material. Kerr’s latest, the SimpliShade Bulk Fill, however, is a composite which is hard to forget. Every part of the SimpliShade Bulk Fill has been designed to enhance restorations, from its one-step placement (no need for a capping layer), to its one-shade system, to its high durability. But before we talk about the finer details of the Simplishade Bulk Fill, we need to discuss the technology which underpins it all, Art3.  

What is Art3?

Art3, or ‘Ternary Adaptive Response Technology’ is a combination of three adaptive response technologies which comprise this bulk filler’s makeup. These technologies being Adaptive Rheological Response Technology, Adaptive Color-Blending Response Technology, and Adaptive Shrinkage Stress Response Technology. The combination of these technologies make up the bulk of Simplishade’s standout characteristics, so let us take a closer look at them individually. 

The first of these technologies, Adaptive Rheological Response, describes the rheological modifiers used in the Simplishade Bulk Fill, which reduce the composite’s viscosity when it is being manipulated. This reduction is only temporary, and when you are done shaping, the composite recovers, its anatomy stabilising before light-curing. This makes shaping easier and reduces the need for re-sculpting.  

The next of these technologies is the Adaptive Color-Blending Response Technology, which makes the difference between tooth and restoration seem to be almost indistinguishable. By using nanofillers that mimic enamel structures and interact with light in a natural way, blending becomes seamless with all 16 VITA® classical shades. There is no need to select a specific shade with the Simplishade Bulk Fill, it will adapt to the appearance of the teeth around it, making it a one-shade-suits-all solution. 

Finally, the Adaptive Shrinkage Stress Response Technology is an innovative combination of low-shrinkage resin and nanofiller design to provide enhanced durability. Resin-infused nanofillers boost elasticity for stress relief and a special coating eases interfacial stress, helping to improve marginal adaptation and integrity by minimizing composite restoration stress on the adhesive layer. 

Found in other Kerr products such as Harmonize™ and OptiShade Universal Composite, Art3 shows a comprehensive approach to building a product tailor made for specific dental procedures from the ground up.  

Now, having gone through the component parts of what makes the SimpliShade special, one question remains. How does it hold up in comparison to other bulk fillers?  

Comparisons & Competitor Evaluation.  

To demonstrate how effective the Kerr Simplishade is, a competitor comparison was held to evaluate how well the composite measured up in terms of Flexural Strength, Shrinkage Stress, Wear Rate, and Initial Gloss.  

Flexural Strength: SimpliShade Bulk Fill demonstrates flexural strength which is comparable to or higher than Competitor 1 and Competitor 2. Meaning it has better resistance to chipping and fracture over time. 

Shrinkage Stress (at 2 min.): SimpliShade Bulk Fill has comparable shrinkage stress to a competitor brand, helping to provide a long-lasting restoration. 

Wear Rate: Low wear rate will help to provide a restoration which can withstand the daily forces of chewing, brushing, etc. Simplishade Bulk Fill had the lowest wear rate of any of its closest competitors.

In short:  

One-Shade System: The SimpliShade will save you having to stock up multiple different products with different shades because it can blend with all 16 VITA® classical shades. Which will help you to save time and money with inventory management and shade selection. 

One-Step Placement: With SimpliShade’s enhanced curing mechanism, it’s easy to achieve polymerization in depths up to 5mm in a single step. 

Durable: Simplishade offers lower wear rate, higher flexural strength, and good shrinkage stress, resulting in lower marginal degradation and postoperative sensitivity for long-lasting restorations.