Dr. Scherf’s comments certainly are valid and should be considered when planning treatment. His comments about the degeneration of dentin-bonding agents during service is common knowledge among dentists. The high in vitro retentive values of dentin-bonding agents reported in the dental literature in no way relate to the agents’ ability to retain resin-based composite buildups, resin cements for veneers or other resin restorations in place when enamel is not present to provide microscopic mechanical retention. Pins, posts, channels or undercuts must be used to augment the retention of resin-based composite to all-dentin surfaces in these situations.
Amalgam is another commonly used alternative, although the use of amalgam is decreasing each year. Many dentists offer both materials to their patients, and some practices do not provide any amalgam restorations.
Either material serves well, but most patients prefer resin-based composite, with esthetic acceptability being the most often mentioned reason.
