title: A materials scientist's glimpse into the new millennium.
abstract: Questions about the materials which are in current use are posed and answered in this review, which speculates about the sort of dental materials we will be using, or would like to use in the next century. Consideration is given to the merits and failings of dental amalgam, composites and glass-ionomer cements prior to laying down the requirements of the ultimate direct filling material. The case for the continued use of dental alloys for large restorations is discussed and new ways of forming these are described. The use of many cunning techniques to improve the resistance of dental ceramics to catastrophic failure is reported and a general improvement in both the denture bases and orthodontic appliances of the future is predicted.
authors.affiliation: Dental Biomaterials Science Department, Guy's, King's College and St Thomas' Hospitals' Dental Institute, King's College London.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003188:Composite Resins; D003190:Comprehensive Dental Care / Q000639:trends*; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D003764:Dental Materials; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D005544:Forecasting; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D003764:Dental Materials; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003723:Dental Amalgam