ABSTRACT

Dental caries is one of the most common dental problems that is usually managed with the removal of carious tooth structure and replace with biocompatible dental materials. Currently, polymer composites are widely utilized as dental restoration materials due to their astonishing properties such as good tribological, thermal, mechanical, physical, and excellent aesthetic appearance. Various modifications have been made to improve the performance of these dental composites, which have been the subject of investigation by many researchers. This chapter encompasses the different types of matrix, fillers, additives in resin-based composite. It also elaborates on the polymerization process and kinetics, types of photoinitiators, and post-polymerization reaction. Additionally, the different application methods which are incremental and bulk fill techniques are discussed in greater details. This chapter also highlights the different types of light curing units and their influence on the curing of the composite.