[Abrasion measurements in vivo in occlusal composite and amalgam fillings]

A new method for quantitative measurement of occlusal wear on restorations is described. In a clinical evaluation with four different composites and an amalgam the method proved to be simple in execution and very exact. Statistical analysis after 7 months has shown significant differences in wear resistance of the different materials. The nature of the resulting wear was electron optically examined. Typical structural surface characteristics were observed for each of the different materials. More recently developed composities utilizing extremly small filler particles (Aerosil) seem to be comparable to amalgam in wear resistance.