Article
40 years and still not out!
I am fortunate to work with many practitioners. In this case, the patient was referred for endodontic therapy on her UL6), but I couldn’t help but notice the restoration on the UL5.
In a world of minimal intervention, the ultimate goal is to provide long-lasting restorations. This composite restoration (Figure 1) was placed over 40 years ago!
The restoration was placed by Dr Dave King, who says that the material used was ‘Concise (3M)’. If he remembers correctly, the material was a two-paste system, and the restoration was placed with no light curing, no rubber dam, no bonding, although there may have been some liquid etchant (obviously really extensive notes in those days!) As the years have gone by, the loss of particle fillers has left micro-pitting, yet the surface is still readily cleanable and has maintained its contact form. He says he has no idea why this restoration should have lasted so long – ‘sometimes we are just ‘lucky’’.
He says that too often restorations are described as ‘failing’ and need to be replaced when they are simply discoloured or pitted. Obviously such fillings can be replaced for cosmetic reasons, but we will all know patients who have had functioning amalgam restorations present for decades.
We are made aware of a lack strong of evidence when it comes to systematic reviews and, as healthcare providers, it can be challenging to deliver evidencebased dentistry. Sometimes it’s good to acknowledge a practitioner who was an early adopter of a new material, put this to the ultimate test in the oral environment, and won.