Wear resistance of composites: a solved problem?

During the past few years, the use of posterior composites has increased, due to an increased demand from patients to have their metallic restorations replaced with tooth colored restorations. However, until recently, posterior composites were not considered suitable alternatives to metallic restorations mainly because of their tendency to contract during polymerization and wear more than traditional metallic materials. Improvements in bonding agents and composite materials have now made it possible to produce posterior composites that may not produce excessive long-term wear. Despite these improvements, clinicians may find that some composites wear more than expected in certain patients. By developing a good understanding of the different wear mechanisms, the clinician can become familiar with clinical wear variations and select clinical cases where composites may work well without excessive wear.