Biomaterial Database

Aesthetic alternative to conventional posterior restorations. 1990

J C Nel, and P A van Vuuren, and M F Dannheimer

Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Pretoria.

In South Africa silver amalgam is still widely used as a filling material. Concern about the safety of the patient and dental personnel does exist, however, due to the possibilities of mercury poisoning. Demands for aesthetic dentistry are increasing in response to wider media coverage. More and more patients are asking their dentists to replace acceptable and faulty amalgam restorations with aesthetic alternatives. Such alternatives to conventional posterior restorations are discussed and their respective merits are considered.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007284	Inlays	Restorations of metal, porcelain, or plastic made to fit a cavity preparation, then cemented into the tooth. Onlays are restorations which fit into cavity preparations and overlay the occlusal surface of a tooth or teeth. Onlays are retained by frictional or mechanical factors.	Dental Inlays,Dental Onlays,Onlays,Dental Inlay,Dental Onlay,Inlay, Dental,Inlays, Dental,Onlay, Dental,Onlays, Dental,Inlay,Onlay
D008963	Molar	The most posterior teeth on either side of the jaw, totaling eight in the deciduous dentition (2 on each side, upper and lower), and usually 12 in the permanent dentition (three on each side, upper and lower). They are grinding teeth, having large crowns and broad chewing surfaces. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p821)	Molars
D003723	Dental Amalgam	An alloy used in restorative dentistry that contains mercury, silver, tin, copper, and possibly zinc.	Amalgam, Dental,Amalgams, Dental,Dental Amalgams
D003776	Dental Porcelain	A type of porcelain used in dental restorations, either jacket crowns or inlays, artificial teeth, or metal-ceramic crowns. It is essentially a mixture of particles of feldspar and quartz, the feldspar melting first and providing a glass matrix for the quartz. Dental porcelain is produced by mixing ceramic powder (a mixture of quartz, kaolin, pigments, opacifiers, a suitable flux, and other substances) with distilled water. (From Jablonski's Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992)	Porcelain,Porcelain, Dental,Dental Porcelains,Porcelains,Porcelains, Dental
D003793	Dental Restoration, Permanent	A restoration designed to remain in service for not less than 20 to 30 years, usually made of gold casting, cohesive gold, or amalgam. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992)	Dental Fillings, Permanent,Dental Filling, Permanent,Dental Permanent Filling,Dental Permanent Fillings,Dental Restorations, Permanent,Filling, Dental Permanent,Filling, Permanent Dental,Fillings, Dental Permanent,Fillings, Permanent Dental,Permanent Dental Filling,Permanent Dental Fillings,Permanent Dental Restoration,Permanent Dental Restorations,Permanent Filling, Dental,Permanent Fillings, Dental,Restoration, Permanent Dental,Restorations, Permanent Dental
D004955	Esthetics, Dental	Skills, techniques, standards, and principles used to improve the art and symmetry of the teeth and face to improve the appearance as well as the function of the teeth, mouth, and face. (From Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 4th ed, p108)	Cosmetic Dentistry,Aesthetics, Dental,Dental Esthetic,Dental Esthetics,Esthetic, Dental,Cosmetic Dentistries,Dentistries, Cosmetic,Dentistry, Cosmetic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man