Class ii resin composites: restorative options

The prescription of direct plastic restorative materials continues to be the primary choice for most dental practitioners for the management of carious lesions in the posterior dentition. This is largely on account of the conservation of the residual dental hard tissues, the relative economic benefits and the progressive development of direct restorative materials (especially of the adhesive variety).1

Very few would contest the notion of silver amalgam being a popular (and indeed successful) material in conservative dentistry, with a prescription record extending from the 1800s to the present time.2 In recent years however, particularly in light of the Minamata Treaty 20133 (which amongst several other objectives aims to phase down the use of dental amalgam), there has been an international paradigm shift concerning the placement of silver amalgam restorations, with countries such as Norway imposing a complete ban for the prescription of amalgam-based restorations since 2011, primarily on account of environmental concerns3 and a move towards less invasive protocols which begins to address the issues of restorative longevity versus tooth longevity over the lifetime of a patient.