449H
Fig. 9.19 After etching and bonding,
place composite resin incrementally.450H
Fig. 9.20 Finish the restoration with
fissure sealing.9.8.2 Occlusal restorations in young permanent teeth
If caries affects most of the occlusal fissure system, the clinician should place a
classical class I restoration. The choice of material for this restoration is dependent on
the operator and appropriately informed parent. The plethora of available tooth
coloured materials together with the continuing development and introduction of new
materials makes choice both extensive and difficult.
Silver amalgam
Silver amalgam is the standard material against which the success of alternative
materials is often judged (Rugg-Gunn et al., 2000). Amalgam has a known track
record. Dentists have used it for restoring teeth for more than 150 years. When
looking at the literature it must be remembered that amalgam technology has evolved
over a very long period and those amalgam alloys available today are probably very
different in composition to those used even as recently as 15 years ago. Various
studies have compared amalgam with composite resin. One such study found no
significant differences between them, when the materials were used in small occlusal
situations.
Amalgam has many useful properties:
- It is easy to handle.
- Has good durability.