Polishing restorations in dental offices and laboratories is more than just a mechanical process It involves materials science, chemistry, and research. What real advantages do dental polishing agents offer? And why is the right formulation crucial for success?
Just apply polishing paste and start polishing? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Whether in the dental lab or the clinic, precision is key at every step. This is also true for dental polishing, as surface finishing is a complex interplay of various factors. Science shows that every high-quality polishing paste is backed by sophisticated formulations, and the details make the difference between good and outstanding results.
What actually happens during polishing?
The term polishing means, by definition, to smooth a surface without significant material removal. This apparently simple process alters the chemical behavior and physical properties of the material by reducing the effective surface area. The resulting decrease in susceptibility to crack damage and biological reactions can be considered as a form of “refinement”. In dental restorations, precision is measured in microns. Professional polishing can reduce surface roughness (Sa) from 0.30 μm to 0.02 μm — a 15-fold improvement. Such results are not achieved by chance, but through scientifically developed polishing agents.
Chemistry makes the difference
Modern dental polishing agents are complex formulations made of various components. The balanced amount of binder plays a key role in determining consistency and abrasion behavior. Too little binder results in crumbly, hard-to-handle pastes. Too much makes them viscous and difficult to spread.
The secret lies in balance: the polishing paste must be creamy enough to spread evenly, yet firm enough not to smear. High-quality formulations work smear-free and allow precise control over the polishing process, which is especially important when processing materials with different degrees of hardness.
Why hybrid materials present particular challenges
Hybrid materials like VITA ENAMIC or GC CERASMART combine two completely different material worlds: hard ceramic particles and a softer polymer matrix. Conventional polishing pastes reach their limits here, as they are either too abrasive for the polymer or too ineffective for the ceramic components.
The solution lies in specially developed formulations that process both material phases evenly. Renfert Polish hybrid materials takes into account the heterogeneous structure and differing abrasion behavior through a finely tuned grain structure. The result: uniform high-luster polishing without compromising individual material phases.
Measurable success: Gloss units as a quality benchmark
Scientific studies use gloss units (GU) to objectively evaluate polishing results. In tests with several different polishing pastes on VITA ENAMIC, the specialized Renfert Polish hybrid materials achieved gloss values over 120 GU with minimal variation in the measurement results. In comparison, conventional polishing pastes delivered significantly lower and less reproducible results. These measurements were carried out under standardized conditions using a Minolta CM2500d, which operates based on an integrating sphere. The required 20° angle for high-gloss measurement was even tightened to 10° to ensure the most precise results.
Topography reveals the truth
Even more impressive than gloss values are topographic surface analyses. Confocal microscopic images show the difference between unpolished and professionally polished surfaces. For example, on 3M Lava Ultimate, parallel processing marks were reduced from Sa 0.29 μm to 0.03 μm. These measurements, conducted according to DIN EN ISO 25178, prove that modern dental polishing agents not only create visual shine but also demonstrably smoother, biologically compatible surfaces.
Conclusion: Science pays off
Modern surface finishing is based on solid scientific knowledge. Understanding the mechanisms allows for more targeted work and better results. Investing in scientifically developed dental polishing agents pays off multiple times — through time savings, improved quality, and more satisfied patients.
