Dental Symposium Presentation Documents the “Chameleon Affect” of Resin Composites

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, December 9, 2011 — The recently-completed 4th International Heraeus Symposium featured a presentation entitled, “’Chameleon Effect – How to Measure Color Adjustment of Resin Composites.”

The presentation, by Rade Paravina, DDS, MS, PhD, was one of 14 presentations given to an audience of 68 key opinion leaders at a two-day symposium sponsored by Heraeus Kulzer, LLC, the worldwide leader in dental esthetics.

According to Dr. Paravina, the term “chameleon effect” refers to the perception that color differences between esthetic dental materials and hard dental tissues are smaller when the materials are viewed side-by-side than would be expected when viewed in isolation.

“Color marks the border between esthetic and non-esthetic,” stated Professor Rade Paravina from the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston, USA.

“Blending effects are also material and shade dependent," he continued. "The blending increases with the decrease of restoration size, the decrease of initial color difference and the increase of translucency.”

A study reported by Dr. Paravina clearly demonstrated that the majority of resin composites exhibited color adjustment potential, with the most pronounced color blending potential recorded for Venus Diamond.

Dr. Paravina concluded that because of huge differences in color adjustment potential among materials and the possible influence on esthetic outcome, it would be beneficial to quantify the color adjustment potential of resin composites both scientifically and clinically.

Dr. Paravina, an internationally renowned expert on various topics associated with color and appearance in esthetic dentistry, is Acting Director of Houston Center for Biomaterials and Biomimetics and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston. He is also Founder, first President and currently Executive Director of SCAD, Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry, and serves as editor of the Journal for Color and Appearance in Dentistry and editorial board member for the Journal of Dentistry and several other journals.

For more information on Heraeus or its products, call (800) 431-1785 or visit www.heraeusdentalusa.com.

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Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with 160 years of tradition. Our fields of competence include precious metals, materials, and technologies, sensors, biomaterials, and medical products, as well as dental products, quartz glass, and specialty light sources.

With product revenues of €4.1 billion and precious metal trading revenues of €17.9 billion, as well as more than 12,900 employees in over 120 subsidiaries worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.