[Indications for the use of amalgam and the importance of cavity preparation]

The range of indications for amalgam includes class I cavities, when the occlusal carious lesions do not permit "extended fissure sealing," and similar class II cavities. Amalgam is not usable for class III and IV cavities in visible areas of the anterior teeth for aesthetic reasons. The standard rules for the class V preparation are also unreservedly valid for the preferred use of composite filling materials. Cervical lesions are not treatable according to the principles of adhesive restoration, or only as an exception. The construction of amalgam crowns represents an attempt at temporary restoration. Inlays, onlays, or crowns are the best methods of treating larger defects.