An Update on Bulk-Fill Restorative Materials. Myths, Facts and Guidelines for Predictable Clinical Application

Bulk-fill materials were developed to facilitate direct restorative procedures, mainly for deep and wide posterior cavities by allowing the placement of increments up to 4-5 mm thick. However, misinformation about the limitations on the technique used to place and polymerize these materials may impair achieving the topmost performance, because the mechanical properties may not be optimal at the deeper regions of the increment. Because the clinical performance of some materials varies according to the cavity depth, polymerization mechanism, chemical composition, this paper presents a general review of the materials available in the market, as a guide for the clinician, to help with the decision-making process and improve the predictability of the restorations made with bulk-fill materials.