DIRECT PERMANENT RESTORATIVES - AMALGAM VS COMPOSITE

Abstract

Dental restoration is the most commonly administered dental treatment. These restorations are subjected to dynamic conditions in oral cavity, are likely to fail and need replacement. Ideal restorative material should pass two tests- Longitivity and Esthetics. Longitivity of the restorative material depends on three major factors- first is Patient’s factors, second is Operator`s skills and last is the Restorative material itself. Dentists today have a plethora of materials to choose from. Materials like Silver Amalgam being tested over a century, other nubile but promising materials, developed recently and yet to be tested in long run. This puts a dentist in dilemma so as which material to select to ensure durable clinical performance after placement. Amalgam has been tested over 165 years and has fulfilled almost all desired qualities of a restorative material except esthetics. On the other hand composites have advantage in cases where esthetics is of prime importance; however Recent studies conclude them at par with amalgam 1. Performance of these two materials is assessed on following criterions - Longevity, wear resistance, cost effectiveness, marginal leakage and predisposal to secondary decay, biocompatibility, pulp irritation, tooth preparation, technique sensitivity and esthetics