Composite VS Amalgam Fillings: Which One is Right for you?
COMPOSITE VS AMALGAM FILLINGS: WHICH ONE IS RIGHT
Keywords:
Amalgam, Composite, Coefficient of thermal expansion
Abstract
The most significant line of treatment directed towards dental caries is the restorative procedure of filling the affected tooth or teeth with appropriate materials that arrests the growth of the cavity and motivates the tissues towards the maintenance of an adequate form and function. The restorative materials that have portrayed a high degree of usefulness for the treatment of include composite resins and amalgam alloys, the comparison of which is the principal aim of this review literature. The subcategories used to draw a contrast between the two include compressive strength, longevity, and coefficient of thermal expansion. A thorough literature search was conducted of the Medline, Cochrane and EMBASE databases utilizing the clinical subject headings or a blend of all conceivably related terms and published articles from 2008 to 2023 were referred to for the same. The discourse between supporters of amalgam and composite restorations is an ongoing one but the conclusion of this review pointed out that amalgam restorations rely on their strength and sealing ability to be of continued use in conservative treatments, especially for larger lesions and composite resins are praised for their aesthetics, minimally required preparation, and longevity which is more consistently expressed for smaller lesions.References
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8. Cenci MS, Pereira-Cenci T, Donassollo TA, Sommer L, Strapasson A, Demarco FF. Influence of thermal stress on marginal integrity of restorative materials. Journal of Applied Oral Science 2008;16(2):106–10. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4327628/
2. Anguswamy S, Adeni KM. Changing concepts and trends from dental amalgam to composites. J Global Oral Health 2021;4(1):38-41.
3. Shaikh H. Comparative evaluation of compressive strength of different packable composites with different cavity configurations – an in vitro study. Journal of Medical Science And Clinical Research. 2020;08(12):23-9.
4. Lippincott Home. www.jorr.org. [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://www.jorr.org/article.asp?issn=2249-4987
5. Fernandes NA, Vally Z, Sykes LM. The longevity of restorations -A literature review. South African Dental Journal 2015;70(9):410–3. Available from: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0011-85162015000900008#:~:text=Restorations%20have%20a%20limited%20lifespan
6. Solanki G. Amalgam restorations- An overview. International Journal of Biomedical Research 2012;3(1):15-9. Available from: https://www.academia.edu/37617920/AMALGAM_RESTORATIONS_AN_OVERVIEW
7. Lippincott Home [Internet]. www.jorr.org. Available from: https://www.jorr.org/article.asp?issn=2249-4987
8. Cenci MS, Pereira-Cenci T, Donassollo TA, Sommer L, Strapasson A, Demarco FF. Influence of thermal stress on marginal integrity of restorative materials. Journal of Applied Oral Science 2008;16(2):106–10. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4327628/
Published
2025-04-05
How to Cite
Saleem, A. (2025). Composite VS Amalgam Fillings: Which One is Right for you?. UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF DENTAL SCIENCES, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.21276/ujds.2025.11.1.20
Section
Review Article
