Posterior_Direct_Restorations Salvatore_compressed

FIG 7-5 (a to d) Powder-free gloves should be washed with ethanol before handling composite with the fingers.

How to Build a Triangular Ridge

Additive modeling techniques always start by modeling a triangular ridge. An initial composite increment is formed into a ball and placed at the site from which the reconstruction procedure is to start. The composite is shaped, first mesially and then distally, with the flat face of a modeling spatula resting on the residual ridge. The ball of composite assumes the pyramid-like shape of a triangular ridge (Fig 7-6).

FIG 7-6 (a to d) Sequence for converting a ball of composite into a triangular ridge.

Once a pyramid-like ridge has been built, the morphology is improved, and excess composite is removed using a sculpting instrument (Fig 7-7). In addition to defining the pyramid shape, the spatula is rested on the residual ridge to follow its angle of inclination and transfer the correct gradient to the composite (Fig 7-8). Modeling carried out in this way reduces the risk of occlusal adjustments. This significantly enhances technique reliability, execution speed, and the predictability of the outcome.