Compomer: Applications & Health Benefits

In dentistry, compomer is used as a filling material to fill cavities (the “hole” in the tooth). Compomers are among the modern plastic fillings and are an alternative to, say, traditional amalgam fillings. They are usually used for smaller defects or temporarily.

What is compomer?

In dentistry, compomer is used as a filling material to fill cavities (the “hole” in the tooth). With the help of UV light, for example, the material hardens directly in the mouth. Compomers were developed in the mid-1990s to complement common fillings such as amalgam or cements. Above all, the filler was intended to be an alternative to the plastic resins used at the time, which were not considered particularly durable and long-lasting and posed compatibility risks. The name “compomer” is a neologism of the first manufacturer and refers to the composition of the material. Compomers are made of two materials, which individually can also be used as filling materials for teeth: KOMPOsit and glass ionomer cement. Composite is a mixture of plastic and inorganic materials such as silica or glass particles, glass ionomer cement consists of glass and quartz particles. Composite fillings are considered stable and also esthetic, as they can be matched to the individual color of the tooth using coloring techniques. Glass inomer cement exhibits high adhesion and bonds with the tooth substance via chemical reactions. Glass inomer cements also contain fluoride, which is slowly released into the tooth over the duration of the filling. This prevents the development of new caries at the edges of the filling and keeps the tooth healthy.

Shapes, types and types

Both composite and glass inomer cement have high transparency and are very similar to the tooth color or can be color-matched accordingly. Therefore, they are popularly used on anterior teeth or other visible areas, for example. Compomer, in its combination of both materials, is intended to combine the advantages of composite and glassinomer cement, while at the same time compensating for various disadvantages of these materials. For example, compomers are faster and easier to apply to the tooth than composites, which require pretreatment by the dentist and a more complex layering technique. From compsites, compomers gain stability, abrasion resistance and surface hardness. However, when combined with the glass inomer cement, which is less durable and strong, these good properties are again somewhat reduced. Compomers, like composite, are not conspicuous due to the possibility of optical adaptation to the tooth structure. Similar to glass inomer cement, they also exhibit good adhesion to the tooth structure without pretreatment. Compomers also release fluoride to the tooth, but to a lesser extent than glass inomer cement and over a much shorter period of a few weeks.

Structure and mode of operation

To fill in compomers, the dentist drills out the diseased tooth structure as gently as possible. Then the tooth is prepared with the so-called adhesive, a light-curing special plastic adhesive. This adhesive is necessary to improve the adaptation of the compomer to the tooth structure (due to the composite components, the material does not adhere as well as a glass inomer cement). The compomer is then filled or layered directly into the prepared cavity using a dosing syringe. The layering technique is somewhat less complicated than for composites. It must be used with slightly deeper holes in the tooth to ensure good stability. The material is cured directly in the mouth by a special cold light or with the aid of UV light. With the layering technique, each layer must be cured individually. During curing, compomers may exhibit slight material shrinkage. As a result, there is a risk of so-called marginal gap formation between the tooth substance and the filling. This can lead to caries at the edges of the filling. The dentist must take this into account and correct it accordingly during the filling process, because even the fluoride release of the material can only prevent caries formation to a limited extent. After curing, the dentist finishes the filling according to the anatomical conditions of the tooth. In the final step, the material is smoothed and polished.

Medical and health benefits

Compomer fillings, due to their slightly lower abrasion hardness, are more suitable for smaller fillings without a large chewing pressure load.The better biocompatibility of the compomers (compared to the mercury load of the amalgam) also proves to be an advantage. Allergies to components of the compomers or the adhesive are very rare. Due to the adaptability of the color, compomers are particularly suitable for dental fillings in the visible area, such as the neck of the tooth. Compomers, however, unlike composites, which are also used for this purpose, may absorb water. This can lead to unsightly marginal discoloration in the anterior region. Compomers are also used for temporary fillings, e.g. to keep a tooth functional after root canal treatment until it is finally restored (e.g. with an inlay). The statutory health insurance funds cover the costs of compomers for the treatment of anterior tooth defects and for fillings in the cervical region. For fillings of deciduous teeth, the costs are covered on a pro-rata basis.