Clinical placement and performance of composite resin restorations

The most frequent complaints registered against composite restorations are stained margins and a rough surface. The stained margins have many causes such as (1) fracturing or crazing of enamel during preparation of the cavity, (2) using a composite having an excessive curing shrinkage, (3) manipulating too slowly, which permits a loss of plasticity during placement, (4) maintaining inadequate pressure during setting or curing of the composite, and (5) using finishing instruments which cause defects in the margin area of the tooth and/or composite. All of these the operator can control, and if not, the defect will be built into the restoration. The roughness of composites can be reduced by polishing with the finest grit available in disks and by coating with a glaze. Today's composite restorations placed with care will provide long lasting esthetic restorations providing they are not placed in areas subjected to load bearing abrasion.