Aspects of the use and abuse of aesthetic restoratives: 1. Composite materials

Modern materials offer great promise in the aesthetic restoration of teeth. However, their performance in practice may not fulfil this promise. This is often because of inadequate understanding of the scientific principles behind the new materials, leading to misuse. In this two-part article the author reviews some of the physical properties of the new materials, and explains both their proper use and their limitations. Part 1 examines the composites, Part 2 will look at dentine adhesives and glass-ionomers.