Greater Curve Theory

  • Introduction

    Natures contact

    This is a third molar removed from a 33-year-old patient

    Tooth to tooth wear creates adjoining wear facets at the contact position

    Your restoration should duplicate this reality because matching facet contacts are stable and prevent food impactions

  • MOD Prep

    Difficult to achieve tight contacts mesial and distal

  • Greater Curve Setup

    Contact openings

    Contact openings made mesial and distal to pair up with the contact surface of the contiguous teeth. Excellent seal and isolation. Ready to fill.

    Contact opening made with “egg” shaped composite finishing carbide

  • Contact openings

    Transition from periphery of the opening to the contact surface of the contiguous tooth is imperceptible

  • Composite placed

    The composite will bond to the contiguous teeth through the contact window. That is okay.

  • Band Removal

    Break contact

    Contact bond broken with metal spatula. The bonded contact breaks cleanly.

    Band is separated into separate mesial and distal segments with a sickle scaler. Makes for easier removal of the matrix

  • Grasp distal segment with hemostats

    Grasp the distal segment with hemostats and rotate

  • Rotate hemostats

    Hemostats rotated. Band slides out.

  • Grasp mesial segment with hemostats

  • Rotate hemostats

    Contact opening moves laterally

  • Completed composite

    Occlusal view

    Composite contacts have both width and depth

    Composite contacts mimic natures contact

  • Distal contact

    Composite contacts have both width and depth

    Composite contacts mimic natures contact

  • Mesial contact

    Composite contacts have both width and depth

    Composite contacts mimic natures contact