Glacier

Glacier – a high viscosity radio-opaque visible light cured microfilled hybrid composite restorative designed for both anterior and posterior restorations.

Performance

The product has been extensively researched and documented in numerous clinical and laboratory studies:

• Polymerization Shrinkage: Glacier possessed the least volumetric shrinkage of the composite resins tested, with a value of 1.47 ± 0.08%, which was only two thirds of the nearest rival (Cook W., Department of Materials Engineering Monash University, Australia).

• Wear Resistance: In vitro three-body wear testing showed Glacier was in the top four composite resins that displayed the lowest amount of wear (Osborne J. W., et al., University of Colorado, Denver and University of Alabama, Birmingham). Subsequent pre-clinical screening confirmed Glacier was one of five composites that exhibited the least amount of wear (Suzuki S., et al., Journal of Aesthetic Dentistry, 1996).

• Clinical Recommendations: Glacier is recommended as a condensable composite resin for posterior restorations including cusp overlays and proximal lesions. It is particularly recommended for anterior restorations with colour alterations due to its high degree of opacity.

• Clinical Ratings: Received a 91% rating from The Dental Advisor (Volume 15, 1998) and an 86% approval rating from The Dental Advisor Plus (Vol. 16, No. 5, September/October 1996).

• Handling Properties: Consultants noted firm handling properties similar to dental amalgam, excellent non-stickiness and easy packing when condensed. Dispensing, shade match, finishing and polish all received good to excellent ratings.

• Strength and Durability: Displayed one of the lowest levels of loss of strength associated with hydrolytic degradation (Sarkar N. K., et al., LSU School of Dentistry, 1999). Showed the smallest loss in weight compared to other materials in sorption studies (Dhuru V, Benhamuerlaine M, 2001).

• Low Stickiness: Has the second lowest stickiness behaviour out of twelve materials tested (Al-Sharaa K. A., Watts D., Dental Materials, 2003).

• Water Absorption: Ice, Rok and Glacier have very low water absorption when compared to competitor brands such as Z350 (3M/Espe) and Z250 (3M/Espe) (de Araujo Silva Gusmao G. M. A et al., Indian Journal of Dental Research, 24(1) 2013).

• Storage Stability: Capable of normal discharge from compules with good handling characteristics, good hardness and depth of cure even when expired (Penugonda B., New York University, USA, Brisbane IADR 2006).

Biocompatibility

• Estrogenic Activity: Glacier was one of eighteen out of twenty four composites tested that showed no significant difference when compared to the control sample in estrogenic activity testing (Wada H., et al., J Dent Res 83(3):222-226, 2004).