Difference between GIC and composite restoration

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cookiedough17

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Hi guys,

I wanted to know what the difference between GIC and composite restorations are clinically. How do you tell them apart? I mean, I know all the material properties and chemistry behind each but if I were given a tooth with a white coloured restoration I'd have a hard time deciding whether it was GIC or composite.
Sure, you can look at the surface so Class V restorations are likely to be GIC whereas class IV are likely to be composite but is there any other way of telling them apart? Does one feel more 'scratchy' than the other with a straight probe?

Thanks in advance! :)

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GIC like fugi are much more opaque and difficult to polish compared to more esthetic composite options like filtek supreme ultra.

I would just look at the indications for gic, if it doesn't meet those criteria it's probably composite.

Class five
Root surfaces
High active caries patient (fluoride release)
 
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GI is more "scratchy" usually. Dry it extremely well and look at the surface texture and run an explorer over it. As above, location is an important initial clue.
 
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