Composite repair needs only a short list of supplies: rubber dam isolation, a phosphoric acid etchant, an adhesive suitable for bonding to existing composite, and finishing and polishing instruments. This guide maps each step to supplies available from EBIKO Dental in Canada, drawing on what a 2026 survey of Canadian dental schools reports they teach.
A small marginal defect or a chipped corner on an otherwise sound composite raises a familiar question: repair it, or replace the whole restoration? As of October 2026, Canadian dental education leans toward repair. A survey published in the Journal of Dentistry this month found that all 10 Canadian dental schools perform composite repairs to extend clinical service, and 70% teach repair techniques in undergraduate clinical training. The authors link repair to minimally invasive dentistry, preserving sound tooth structure and avoiding unnecessary replacement.
If your practice in Toronto, Mississauga or anywhere in the GTA is doing more repairs, or your newer associates are, the supply side is worth a quick audit. Here is what the procedure calls for, step by step, and where to source it.
What do Canadian dental schools teach for composite repair?
The same survey gives a useful reference point for the materials involved. According to the study's abstract:
- 70% of schools teach rubber dam isolation for repairs;
- 70% use diamond finishing instruments;
- 60% use phosphoric acid etching, adhesive bonding and nano-filled composites;
- the main reasons for teaching repair are tooth preservation, pulp protection, marginal defects and secondary caries.
The survey also found that 60% of schools do not teach bevelling or review repaired restorations, so technique details vary between programs. Your own protocol, and the instructions for each material you use, should govern the details. What the survey does show is a common set of materials reported by most schools: isolation, diamond finishing, etch, adhesive and composite.
Step 1: Isolation supplies
Rubber dam isolation was taught at 70% of schools, the same share that reported using diamond finishing instruments. For repair work, where you are bonding new composite to an aged surface, a dry field is the foundation.
EBIKO Dental's Dental Rubber Dam - Latex comes in two sizes, 5"x5" (52 sheets per box) and 6"x6" (36 sheets per box), in thin, medium and heavy thicknesses, in green or blue, from $9.99 CAD. Pair it with the Stainless Steel Rubber Dam Frame, offered in three sizes: small (8.5 x 8.5 cm, fits 5x5 inch dams), medium (10 x 10.5 cm, fits 5x5 and 6x6) and large (13 x 13 cm, fits 6x6), priced from $7.99 to $11.99 CAD.
Pro Tip: Stock at least two thicknesses. Stock at least two thicknesses so you can match the sheet to the case. Confirm latex allergies at the medical history review and keep a non-latex option on hand for those patients.
Step 2: Surface preparation
70% of the schools surveyed use diamond finishing instruments in repair. Preparing the existing composite surface and removing defective material comes before etching and bonding. Use the finishing diamonds already in your bur block; check that the fine-grit shapes you rely on are not worn before a repair appointment.
Step 3: Phosphoric acid etch
60% of schools reported using phosphoric acid etching in their repair technique. Two options at EBIKO Dental cover different volumes:
- Pulpdent Etch-Rite ETCH Dental Etch Gel Kit: four prefilled 1.2 mL syringes of 38% phosphoric acid gel with eight applicator tips, $29.99 CAD. The listing describes a blue, thixotropic gel that rinses away with water. A sensible size for practices that etch occasionally.
- Ultradent Ultra-Etch 35% Phosphoric Acid Etchant: a thixotropic 35% phosphoric acid etchant in bright pink, available as an economy refill of 20 x 1.2 mL syringes, the same refill with 40 Blue Micro Tips, or an IndiSpense bulk refill, from $169.99 CAD. Larger formats for practices that etch often.
Add Etch Tips - Blue 25g (100 per pack, $7.99 CAD) if you dispense from syringes that need replacement tips.
Step 4: Adhesive and composite
Adhesive bonding is the step where product choice matters most for repair, because the adhesive must bond to existing composite as well as any exposed enamel or dentin. Check that "composite" or "repair" is named among the indicated substrates in the manufacturer's instructions. Three universal adhesives in EBIKO Dental's range list composite or restorative materials among their substrates:
- Kerr OptiBond Universal Bonding Agent: a light-cured, single-bottle universal adhesive whose listing names "repair of porcelain or composite" among its use cases. It works with total-etch, self-etch and selective-etch techniques. 5 mL refill from $149.99 CAD.
- Kuraray Clearfil Universal Bond Quick: a single-component, light-cure universal adhesive listed as bonding to enamel, dentin, zirconia, alumina, metal, porcelain and composite, with total-, self- and selective-etch compatibility. 5 mL bottle refill, $189.99 CAD.
- 3M Scotchbond Universal Plus Adhesive: listed for adhesion to enamel, dentin and restorative materials without separate primers, activators or silanes, and compatible with self-etch, selective-etch and total-etch techniques. 5 mL vial refill, $219.99 CAD.
The survey reported that 60% of schools use nano-filled composites for repair. Whatever composite you place, confirm its compatibility with your adhesive system in the manufacturers' instructions.
Pro Tip: Keep one adhesive as your designated repair adhesive and label it in the operatory. When every provider uses the same product and steps for repairs, outcomes are easier to compare at recall.
Step 5: Finishing and polishing
A repair is only as good as its margin. Blend the new increment into the old restoration so the junction does not trap plaque or stain.
- EBIKO Finishing & Polishing Discs: for contouring, finishing and polishing composite restorations, compatible with standard mandrels, 30 per box, $45.99 CAD.
- EBIKO Finishing & Polishing Points: for contra-angle handpieces and hard-to-reach areas, 30 per pack, $45.99 CAD.
- 3M Sof-Lex Finishing and Polishing Strips: aluminum oxide grit strips with a centre-gapped design for interproximal insertion, listed for composite, ceramic and glass ionomer restorations, $62.99 CAD.
- Shofu OneGloss Finishing & Polishing System: a one-step silicone polisher for composite, metal, amalgam and gold restorations. The starter set includes 20 cups, 20 points, 20 inverted cones and 3 mandrels, $148.95 CAD.
Don't forget the follow-up
The survey's finding that most schools (60%) do not teach bevelling or review repaired restorations is a reminder that the procedure does not end at polishing. Chart the repaired surface, the reason for repair and whether you consider it definitive or transitional, so your hygiene team can check it at recall.
Ordering composite repair supplies in Canada
EBIKO Dental ships across Canada, with free shipping on orders of $99+ CAD in the GTA, $199+ CAD in Ontario and $299+ CAD across Canada, plus a price match guarantee. Shop restorative and bonding supplies at EBIKO Dental.
Has your practice shifted toward repairing composites rather than replacing them? Which adhesive have you settled on for repairs? Let us know what works in your operatory.
Sources
- Daood U, et al. "Repair versus replacement of defective composite restorations: Teaching in dental schools in Canada." Journal of Dentistry, vol. 177, 107119, October 2026. Europe PMC record (PMID 42892357)
- Product details from EBIKO Dental product listings linked above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What supplies do I need to repair a composite filling?
A typical composite repair uses rubber dam isolation, diamond finishing instruments to prepare the old surface, phosphoric acid etch, an adhesive indicated for bonding to composite, new composite, and finishing and polishing discs, points or strips. Isolation, diamond finishing, phosphoric acid etch, adhesive bonding and nano-filled composite match what a 2026 survey of Canadian dental schools reported.
Q: Which bonding agent can be used to repair composite?
Choose an adhesive whose instructions list composite or repair among its substrates. At EBIKO Dental, Kerr OptiBond Universal's listing names repair of porcelain or composite, and Kuraray Clearfil Universal Bond Quick is listed as bonding to composite; always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the substrate.
Q: Do Canadian dental schools use rubber dam for composite repairs?
Most do. The 2026 Journal of Dentistry survey found 70% of Canada's 10 dental schools teach rubber dam isolation for composite repair.