Indirect composite restorations: alternative or replacement for ceramic?

In esthetic restorative dentistry, many new materials have been developed in recent years. These materials are often promoted with little clinical research and dentists use these materials on the recommendations of their peers or simply because they are new. It is the author's opinion that supportive clinical research should be examined before any material can be used with absolute confidence. In the absence of supportive research, there must be sufficient justification for trying new materials. It is the purpose of this article to examine the possible uses of indirect composite in esthetic restorative dentistry and to evaluate whether or not their use is advantageous over the use of ceramic materials.