Recent Advances in Dental Composites: An Overview

Composite resins are widely used aesthetic materials in restorative dentistry. These materials were introduced to overcome the inherent shortcomings of amalgam restorative materials. Dental amalgams are unesthetic and toxic. Earlier composites lack in mechanical properties to withstand the masticatory forces. Various filler particles have been added to composite resins to improve their physical and mechanical properties.  Filled composite resins exhibit high compressive strength, abrasion resistance, ease of application and high translucency. Depending on the filler size and shapes, various composites have been developed until now. This article is a review of numerous types of composites that are technologically advanced to modify their properties.