How Do Composite Resin, GI, and Bondfill Differ for Cavity Fillings? (Suwon Dental Clinic, 2026)

To fill a tooth directly after it has been damaged by a cavity or worn away, we use materials such as ordinary light-cured composite resin, GI (glass ionomer), and Bondfill. Even the same material suits different sites depending on location, moisture control, and chewing force.

[Key Answer]

The three materials are not ranked from good to bad; they differ in how they bond to the tooth and where they fit best. Yeonhap Dental Clinic in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon chooses a material by looking at where the cavity or wear is, whether moisture can be controlled, and whether chewing force is applied, and also takes into account the patient's preferences on cost and color.

[4-Line Summary]

· Ordinary light-cured composite resin is hardened with light, is close to tooth color so it is less noticeable, and is suited to sites where moisture can be controlled.

· GI (glass ionomer) bonds by exchanging ions with the tooth and releases fluoride, but it tends to look white and noticeable, and there are limits on choosing it for sites that continuously bear strong chewing force and wear.

· Bondfill DUAL is a dual-cure adhesive resin that sets on its own and also with light, and our clinic mainly uses it for cervical abrasion, where the neck of the tooth is worn away.

· Yeonhap Dental Clinic first looks at location, moisture control, and chewing force, and if you prioritize cost or color, we take that choice into account as well.

Written by: Dr. Ahn Seong-jin, Chief Director, Yeonhap Dental Clinic

[Table of Contents]

· How do composite resin, glass ionomer (GI), and Bondfill differ?

· How do composite resin, glass ionomer (GI), and Bondfill bond to the tooth?

· How does Yeonhap Dental Clinic choose a restorative material?

· Why do we mainly use Bondfill for cervical abrasion, where the neck of the tooth is worn away?

This article covers the choice of material when directly filling not only cavities but also cervical abrasion, narrow dimples on the chewing surface, and incisal edge wear. Bondfill is also a resin-based material, so we explain ordinary light-cured composite resin, GI, and Bondfill separately, and the criteria for deciding the extent of treatment among resin, inlay, and crown are covered in a separate article.

All three materials bond to the tooth, but the way the surface is treated and the way they harden are different.

Ordinary light-cured composite resin forms a thin bonding layer (hybrid layer) on the tooth surface with an adhesive and is then hardened with light. Depending on the adhesive ingredients, part of it also bonds chemically to the tooth. However, this process weakens if saliva or blood gets on it, so keeping moisture out is important.

GI sets on its own without light, bonds by forming a layer that exchanges ions with the tooth, and releases fluoride (Sidhu 2016). Because it is a material applied to a surface that is moist rather than thoroughly dried, we consider it at sites where moisture control is difficult. That does not mean contamination with saliva or blood is acceptable; contamination should still be avoided.

Bondfill DUAL is applied after treating the surface by lightly dissolving it with a self-etching primer containing 4-META, and there are experimental results showing that ingredients of this type bond chemically to the calcium in the tooth's minerals (Nagakane 2006). Depending on the condition of the enamel, separate acid etching is applied (Hosoya 2014). It sets on its own and sets faster when exposed to light.

We first look at the site, moisture, and chewing force, and also take into account your choices about cost and color.

A cavity on the chewing surface of a molar (Class I) is usually filled with ordinary light-cured composite resin, and when it extends to the side surface (Class II), we usually go to an inlay. There are exceptions, and the criteria are summarized in Cavity Treatment Types: How to Choose Between Resin, Inlay, and Crown.

We mainly use GI for Class I cavities with sclerotic dentin, for cervical and root cavities where moisture is hard to control, and for primary teeth. Sclerotic dentin is dentin whose surface has hardened so that adhesive has difficulty soaking in; at such sites we look at the bonding conditions before choosing GI, and also check how much chewing force is applied and the extent of the restoration.

Cervical abrasion, where the neck of the tooth is worn away, is mostly filled with Bondfill, and for narrow worn pits on the chewing surface (dimples) and incisal edge wear where the front tooth tip is worn, we also use Bondfill depending on the condition and extent. For wide chewing-surface restorations, we choose other methods such as ordinary light-cured composite resin or an inlay. For cervical abrasion, if you prioritize cost or a natural color, you can choose ordinary light-cured composite resin.

Primary teeth will fall out as the child grows, so if the cost of resin is a burden, some guardians choose GI. That does not mean a lower-cost material is a worse fit for that site. Insurance coverage varies by age, tooth, and material, and we explain it at the consultation.

Because the neck of the tooth is where the forces of the tooth flexing slightly during chewing concentrate, and we believe a material that stays flexible after hardening may help cushion that stress.

Bondfill-type materials were developed on the explanation that their low elastic modulus can cushion stress concentration at the cervical area. In an experiment testing Bondfill SB of the same type, extracted premolars had their cervical cavities filled and were artificially aged; Bondfill SB showed less separation of the bonding interface on the dentin side than the composite resin it was compared with, but the composite resin had better marginal adaptation at the enamel side (Zhang 2019). These are laboratory results and not a study confirming that it lasts longer in actual patients. The manufacturer's materials also present a lower flexural strength than ordinary composite resin, and our clinic chooses it for its flexible material properties rather than for high strength itself.

When to fill and when to watch is covered in Cervical Abrasion: When to Fill and When to Watch.

It is better to ask why that material was chosen for that site than to focus on the name of the material.

Yeonhap Dental Clinic, across from Suwon NongHyup Guun Branch (231 Geumho-ro), on the 5th floor at 230 Geumho-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do (Tap-dong, Cham Clinic Building), has treated patients in the same place since 2002, and Dr. Ahn Seong-jin, Chief Director and Integrated Dentistry specialist, oversees treatment. If you are refilling the same site, please also read Why a Filling Keeps Coming Off the Same Spot.

· Whether they explain the difference between a cavity and wear in which the neck of the tooth has been worn away

· Whether the site is one where moisture can be controlled and whether chewing force is applied to it

· Whether there are other materials you can choose if you prioritize cost or color

· If you are refilling the same site, whether they first check why the filling came off

[Key Takeaways]

✓ Ordinary light-cured composite resin, GI, and Bondfill are not better or worse than each other; they bond differently and fit different sites.

✓ Yeonhap Dental Clinic usually uses resin for Class I molar cavities, mainly GI for hardened Class I cavities, cervical and root cavities where moisture is hard to control, and primary teeth, and mostly Bondfill for cervical abrasion.

✓ The evidence on Bondfill's flexible properties and bonding is at the laboratory-study level, and we do not treat it as evidence that it lasts longer in clinical use.

Patients who ask about materials usually want to know which one is best. I look first at what kind of site this is. The right material depends on whether heavy chewing force is applied, whether the site is close to the gum so moisture is hard to control, and whether it is a cavity or a worn-away pit. I have also had the experience in practice of switching a site that was being filled with resin to GI and finding that postoperative pain decreased. I think that choosing the material that fits the site matters more for long-term use than choosing an expensive material.

Sidhu SK, Nicholson JW. A review of glass-ionomer cements for clinical dentistry. J Funct Biomater. 2016;7(3):16.

Nagakane K, Yoshida Y, Hirata I, et al. Analysis of chemical interaction of 4-MET with hydroxyapatite using XPS. Dent Mater J. 2006;25(4):645-649.

Hosoya Y, Tay FR. Bonding ability of 4-META self-etching primer used with 4-META/MMA-TBB resin to enamel and dentine: primary vs permanent teeth. J Dent. 2014;42(4):425-431.

Zhang C, Yang B. Long-term marginal adaptation and nanoleakage of class V cavity restored with organic filler filled 4-META/MMA-TBB resin. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2019;107(6):2050-2056.

[Product Materials]

Sun Medical. Bondfill DUAL Instructions for Use

Sun Medical. Bondfill DUAL Product Brochure

SDI. Riva Self Cure Instructions for Use

This post was written in compliance with the Korean Medical Service Act and the Ministry of Health and Welfare's medical advertising guidelines, and is intended to provide medical information. It does not guarantee or assert the result of any specific material. The materials that can be applied and the course of treatment differ from person to person depending on the condition and location of the tooth, so please be sure to consult fully with your dental team before deciding on treatment direction.

🦷 Cavity and prosthodontic treatment information: Yeonhap Dental Clinic Treatment Departments

📍 5th Floor, 230 Geumho-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do (Tap-dong, Cham Clinic Building)

🚕 Across from Suwon NongHyup Guun Branch (231 Geumho-ro) / about 15 minutes by taxi from Suwon Station

🚗 Free parking available in the building

📞 031-293-2207

🌐 yeonhapdental.com

🟡 Opened in 2002 / Treatment overseen by Dr. Ahn Seong-jin, Chief Director and Integrated Dentistry specialist

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재료를 여쭤보시는 분들은 대개 어느 것이 제일 좋은지를 궁금해하십니다. 저는 그보다 이 자리가 어떤 자리인지를 먼저 봅니다. 씹는 힘이 크게 걸리는지, 잇몸 가까이라 습기를 막기 어려운지, 충치인지 닳아서 패인 것인지에 따라 맞는 재료가 달라지기 때문입니다. 레진으로 채우던 자리를 GI로 바꾼 뒤 술후 통증이 줄었던 경험도 진료에서 있었습니다. 비싼 재료를 고르는 것보다, 그 자리에 맞는 재료를 고르는 것이 오래 쓰는 데 더 중요하다고 생각합니다.

Sidhu SK, Nicholson JW. A review of glass-ionomer cements for clinical dentistry. J Funct Biomater. 2016;7(3):16.

Nagakane K, Yoshida Y, Hirata I, et al. Analysis of chemical interaction of 4-MET with hydroxyapatite using XPS. Dent Mater J. 2006;25(4):645-649.

Hosoya Y, Tay FR. Bonding ability of 4-META self-etching primer used with 4-META/MMA-TBB resin to enamel and dentine: primary vs permanent teeth. J Dent. 2014;42(4):425-431.

Zhang C, Yang B. Long-term marginal adaptation and nanoleakage of class V cavity restored with organic filler filled 4-META/MMA-TBB resin. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2019;107(6):2050-2056.

[제품 자료]

Sun Medical. Bondfill DUAL 사용설명서

Sun Medical. Bondfill DUAL 제품 브로슈어

SDI. Riva Self Cure 사용설명서

본 게시글은 의료법 및 보건복지부 의료광고 가이드라인을 준수해 작성되었으며, 의학 정보 제공을 목적으로 합니다. 특정 재료의 결과를 보장하거나 단정하지 않으며, 치아 상태와 위치에 따라 적용 가능한 재료와 경과는 개인마다 다르므로 치료 방향은 반드시 의료진과 충분히 상담하신 뒤 결정하시기 바랍니다.

🦷 충치치료 안내: 충치치료 방법을 정하는 기준

📍 경기 수원시 권선구 금호로 230, 5층 (탑동, 참클리닉빌딩)

🚕 수원농협 구운지점(금호로 231) 맞은편 / 수원역 택시 약 15분

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🌐 yeonhapdental.com

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