Dental Composites
Dental reps help their customers find the right quality and grade of dental composites for optimal patient care
Editor’s note: First Impressions would like to acknowledge contributions by Septodont USA (New Castle, Del.) and Essential Dental Systems (South Hackensack, N.J.).
Dentists want composites that polish, wear and handle well, and they depend on their distributor reps to point them in the right direction. Indeed, the combination and type of fillers used largely determine how well different composites meet each dentist’s criteria. Because they are constantly being improved, distributor reps must keep their customers up-to-date on the latest solutions.
What are they?
Dental composites are resin-based restorative material designed to help prevent recurrent disease, enhance speech (e.g, crown construction), relieve pain (e.g., cavity restoration), improve mastication and/or improve patients’ appearance. Composites, which have a two-year standard shelf life, are comprised of three parts:
- Organic resin matrix (a chemical called BMS-GMA or tedgma).
- Inorganic filler (a combination of quartz, silica, different types of glass and some metals, such as lithium, barium, strontium and ytterbium).
- Coupling agent (chemically bonds the inorganic filler to the organic resin matrix).
Composites vary by manufacturer, and dentists generally base their selection on the look or feel of a product. Some prefer using different products for posterior and anterior work, while others use the same product for both.
All composite manufacturers follow the standard Vita shading system, although some offer 16 shades, while others offer up to 38 shades. Depending on their patient profile, dentists prefer various shades of composites.
Packaging varies as well. Single-dose composites (about .3 grams each), which can be applied directly to a cavity or work area, come in boxes of 10 or 20. Typically, dentists purchase between one and 15 refill boxes, depending on the shades they require. Single-barrel syringes are also available, which provide between three and five grams of material. To prevent cross-contamination, the dentist uses the syringe to place the right amount of composite material on a pad, and then applies it to the work area.
Manufacturers constantly work to enhance the quality and grade of their composite materials, in an effort to improve their polishability, wear and handling. They may change:
- Particle size.
- The way particles are clustered.
- The percent and type of fillers used.
- How the composite is produced.
How to sell
Up to 4 percent of a distributor rep’s total sales come from composites, and a dentist with a mid-size practice generally spends between $1,500 and $2,000 annually on composites. However, many reps can attest that composites are one of the most difficult items on which to convert their customers. Indeed, one of the most common objections dentists have to considering new composites is: "I’m happy with the composite material I am currently using."
When reps approach dentists about composites, they should ask them whether they value how well their composites polish, wear and handle, and remind them that new products may offer improvements over older ones. Working closely with their manufacturer reps, distributor reps can keep up with such improvements. In addition, reps should ask some probing questions, including the following:
- "Where/how are you using composites?"
- "Do you use a separate composite system for posterior vs. anterior work?"
- "Are you having any problems with your current composites?"
- "Are there any new features you would like to see, which your current composites don’t offer?"
Dentists may vary on their preference of composite. Great reps can help them make an educated selection.
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