Restoration of posterior teeth with composite resin. 1: Direct-placement composite

Composite restorative materials were introduced to the dental profession in the early 1960s and quickly became the principal anterior restorative material. Following improvements in composite technology, these materials were also developed as aesthetic posterior materials but were initially hampered by problems of poor wear resistance. In this, the first of two articles on the uses of composite replacement materials, the development of composite resins are discussed and the problems of using direct-placement composite to restore posterior teeth are examined in detail. The second article will review the use of the composite inlay technique.