Intervention
tooth Fig., tooth
POSTERIOR, PCT
In each group, PCT was measured using a digital force gauge (Mark-10 series 2, Mark Corporation, USA) that relied on a tooth pressure meter manufactured at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands [
Showing When the strip would progressively pull away in a buccal-lingual direction, the PCT was identified as the greatest frictional force. As the device was converted to peak-mode, the optimal for each measure, force was logged on the gauge’s screen. At each site, 3 measurements were made with optimum range of targets of 0.5 N. Measurement outcomes exceeding this range required repeating the measurement. Each single result of the measuring site was composed of these 3 results’ mean value. Then those mean values were recorded as (T0) baseline measurements [In group I, both the pre-contoured sectional matrix EZ COAT and the separating ring (Palodent Plus Sectional Matrix System, DENTSPLY Sirona, USA) were applied, and the sectional matrix was stabilized by an appropriately sized wedge (Palodent Plus Wedge, DENTSPLY Sirona, USA) Fig. For all restorations, the same composite resin (Filtek P60 Posterior Restorative, 3 M ESPE, St Paul, USA) was applied incrementally in 2 mm layers and light cured for 40 s as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. After the removal of matrix, restorations were post-cured for 40 s. Fine and ultra-fine diamond burs and the Sof-Lex system (3 M ESPE, St Paul, USA) was used to finish and polish the restorations as shown in Fig. 
Showing In group II, the same method was followed, except a small layer of composite was applied to the prepared gingival step. During the light curing procedure, the handheld device (Trimax, AdDent, USA) was put within this uncured composite and pushed toward the direction of contact with the adjacent tooth until the composite and band were in close contact with the adjacent tooth Fig. All the contact forming instruments employed were equipped with transparent heads that facilitated the effective application of light within the contact-forming instrument’s head during the light-curing process. Specifically, this transparency enables the curing of only the initial layer of composite resin as it passes through the head of the contact instruments during the pressing procedure [
Showing contact forming instruments in action 