title: Dental materials--what goes where? Class I and II cavities.
abstract: Dental amalgam has helped maintain dental public health in the developed world for over a century. However, its days appear to be numbered. Notwithstanding the environmental consideration, there is an ever increasing demand from dental patients for non-metallic and tooth-coloured restorations in their posterior teeth. This paper gives a brief history of dental amalgam and critically appraises the alternative materials, the principal of these being resin-based composite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of practitioners carry out large numbers of Class I and II restorations, so an appraisal of the pros and cons of the alternatives may assist in decision-making.
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham School of Dentistry, UK.
authors.forename: F J Trevor
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sands
mesh_terms: D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000145:classification*; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000145:classification; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003764:Dental Materials; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D003723:Dental Amalgam