Direct and indirect adhesive restorative materials: a review

Esthetic restorative materials require a bonding procedure in order to be durable and reliable. In order to accomplish this ideal, the bonding system must be biocompatible, bond indifferently to enamel and dentin, have sufficient strength to resist masticator forces, have mechanical properties close to those of tooth structures, be resistant to degradation in the oral environment and easy to use. This paper reviews the published literature on direct and indirect adhesive restorative materials.