Criteria for substituting amalgam with composite resins

In recent years patients' aesthetic requirements have increased as knowledge of new materials and techniques has spread. Enamel etching and composite filling materials have enabled dentists to meet high functional and aesthetic standards in the placing of anterior and, latterly, posterior restorations. There has been a dramatic growth in the use of posterior composites and the aim of this paper is to provide the practising dentist with guidelines for the use of these materials.