South Bend, Indiana, October 10, 2013 — Heraeus Kulzer, LLC, a worldwide leader in dental esthetics, wants dental professionals to know that its Venus Diamond and Venus Pearl composites are BPA- and bis-GMA–free, without compromising on flexural strength, workability, esthetics or resistance to shrinkage stress.

For years a debate has raged within the dental industry regarding the use of composites containing bis-GMA. The center of the debate concerns bisphenol A, or BPA,a key  ingredient in bis-GMA. Anestrogen-mimicking compound, BPA is perhaps best known as a building block of some clear plastics, food-contact resins, and inks used for store receipts.Despite the ongoing debate about possible health risks associated with BPA, approximately 90% of modern composites include bis-GMA. 

Heraeus Kulzer has focused its energies on developing a new line of highly esthetic, bis-GMA–free composites based on the Tricyclodecan-Urethane-Monomer. With this innovative and biocompatible formula, Heraeus Kulzer launched a new generation of composites that deliver minimal shrinkage, high strength and outstanding surface hardness while being easy and convenient to handle. Both Venus Diamond and Venus Pearl have an extended working time under the operating light and do not stick to instruments. With these state-of-the-art composites, sculpting both direct and indirect restorations is easier and more efficient, and the esthetics are exceptional.

There is another reason Heraeus Kulzer decided to pursue a bis-GMA–free approach.  Historically,shrinkage stress, which potentially causes fractures and marginal gaps, has been a problem with some composite restorations. To combat this issue, bis-GMA was added to conventional composites. While this helped reduce shrinkage, it also made composite pastes highly viscous, which necessitated the addition of reactive diluents to achieve a better workability. Unfortunately, this increased the shrinkage and often shrinkage stress. This potentially unstable equilibrium represents an ongoing challenge in composite production. In light of this, as well as possible health concerns, Heraeus Kulzer decided to develop bis-GMA–free composites based on a new chemistry. The resulting Tricyclodecan-Urethane-Monomer combines minimal shrinkage stress and outstanding flexural strength with exceptional workability, thus making the addition of reactive diluents unnecessary. Moreover, it optimizes all the important physical properties of the filling material.

Thanks to this innovative chemistry, Venus Diamond and Venus Pearl composites have demonstrated strong results in clinical studies concerning high flexural strength, low shrinkage stress, color adaptation, and radiopacity. Venus Diamond is the firmest, while Venus Pearl offers a creamier consistency that is ideal for ultra-fine detailed work requiring excellent sculptability and polishability.Both composites are perfectly suitable both for single-shade and multi-layering techniques and are compatible with all commercially available adhesive and bonding techniques.

Other composites in the Venus product line include the flowable VenusDiamond Flow, designed for exceptionally comfortable use with minimally invasive restorations and cavity lining, and VenusBulk Fill, designed for simple bulk filling techniques in increments up to 4 mm. Both composites are also BPA- and bis-GMA–free.