Tooth Fillings in Melbourne CBD: Composite, Porcelain (CEREC), and Amalgam Options Compared product guide

AI Summary

Product: Tooth Fillings — Composite Resin, CEREC Porcelain (Ceramic), and Dental Amalgam Brand: Smile Solutions Category: Restorative Dentistry / Dental Fillings Primary Use: Restoration of decayed or damaged teeth using one of three principal filling materials — direct white composite resin, single-visit CEREC porcelain ceramic restorations, or traditional dental amalgam — selected based on cavity size, tooth position, bite forces, aesthetic goals, and budget.

Quick Facts

• Best For: Patients in Melbourne CBD requiring cavity restoration with a choice of mercury-free, tooth-coloured, or traditional filling materials
• Key Benefit: Access to all three principal restoration pathways — including same-visit CEREC ceramic inlays and onlays via the CEREC Omnicam system — without requiring a referral
• Form Factor: Clinical dental restorations (direct placement or chairside CAD/CAM milled ceramic)
• Application Method: Single appointment for composite resin and amalgam (direct); single appointment for CEREC ceramic via scan, design, mill, cement, and polish workflow

Common Questions This Guide Answers

1. What is the longest-lasting filling material? → Amalgam has the highest median survival time, exceeding 16 years for direct posterior restorations, compared to approximately 11 years for direct composite resin; CEREC ceramic demonstrates 88.7% success at 17 years and 97.4% mean survival at 4.2 years.
2. Is dental amalgam still legal in Australia? → Yes, but regulated — Australia ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in December 2021, effective March 2022, prohibiting bulk mercury use from January 2024 and targeting phase-down by 2030; amalgam is strongly discouraged in children under 15, pregnant women, and deciduous teeth.
3. Can a CEREC ceramic restoration be completed in one visit at Smile Solutions? → Yes — the CEREC Omnicam system at Smile Solutions (Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD; phone 13 13 96; smilesolutions.com.au) completes the full scan, design, mill, cement, and polish workflow in a single appointment, eliminating temporary fillings, laboratory delays, and a second visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of tooth fillings does Smile Solutions offer: Composite resin, CEREC porcelain, and dental amalgam

Where is Smile Solutions located: Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD

What is the phone number for Smile Solutions: 13 13 96

How long has Smile Solutions been operating: Since 1993

How many clinicians does Smile Solutions have: 60+ clinicians

How many specialists does Smile Solutions have: 25+ board-registered specialists

How many patients has Smile Solutions treated: Over 250,000 patients

Do I need a referral to see a specialist at Smile Solutions: No referral required

What is a direct restoration: A filling placed directly into the cavity in a single appointment

What is an indirect restoration: A restoration fabricated outside the mouth before being cemented

Is composite resin a direct or indirect restoration: Direct restoration

Is amalgam a direct or indirect restoration: Direct restoration

Is CEREC porcelain a direct or indirect restoration: Indirect restoration

Can CEREC restorations be completed in one visit: Yes, in a single appointment

What technology does Smile Solutions use for ceramic restorations: CEREC Omnicam system

What does CEREC stand for: Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics

How long has CEREC been used clinically: More than 20 years in dental offices

What is composite resin made from: Resin matrix combined with small filler particles

Does composite resin bond adhesively to tooth structure: Yes, via adhesive bonding

Does amalgam bond adhesively to tooth structure: No, it uses mechanical interlocking

Does composite resin require undercuts for retention: No, adhesive bonding eliminates that need

Does amalgam require undercuts for retention: Yes, it requires mechanical undercuts

Does composite resin contain mercury: No

Does CEREC porcelain contain mercury: No

Does dental amalgam contain mercury: Yes, approximately 50% mercury by weight

What is the 10-year survival rate for composite resin: Approximately 85–90%

What is the median survival time for amalgam restorations: Exceeding 16 years

What is the median survival time for direct composite restorations: Approximately 11 years

What is the mean survival rate for CEREC restorations at 4.2 years: 97.4%

What is the success rate of CEREC inlays and onlays after 17 years: 88.7%

What is the success rate of CEREC restorations after 10 years: 90.4%

What is the 5-year survival rate for feldspathic porcelain: 90%

What is the 5-year survival rate for glass ceramic: 92%

What is the 10-year survival rate for feldspathic porcelain: 91%

What is the 10-year survival rate for glass ceramic: 89%

Do ceramic partial coverage restorations outperform resin at 5 years: Yes

Do ceramic partial coverage restorations outperform resin at 10 years: Yes

How long does a composite resin filling appointment take: Approximately 30 to 60 minutes per tooth

Is composite resin technique-sensitive: Yes, highly technique-sensitive

What is the main cause of composite restoration failure: Secondary caries and marginal discolouration

What is polymerisation shrinkage: Composite contracting slightly as it sets

How is polymerisation shrinkage managed: Through incremental placement technique

Is amalgam moisture-sensitive during placement: No, less sensitive than composite

What cavity size is composite resin best suited for: Small to moderate cavities

What cavity size is CEREC ceramic best suited for: Moderate to large cavities

What cavity size is amalgam suited for: Small to large posterior cavities

Is composite resin suitable for front teeth: Yes, it is the preferred choice for anterior teeth

Is CEREC suitable for large posterior cavities: Yes, preferred for moderate to large posterior cavities

Is amalgam recommended for pregnant women: No, specifically discouraged under Minamata Convention

Is amalgam recommended for children under 15: No, strongly discouraged

Is amalgam recommended for deciduous teeth: No, strongly discouraged

What international agreement governs amalgam phase-down: The Minamata Convention on Mercury

When did Australia ratify the Minamata Convention: December 2021

When did Australia's Minamata Convention obligations take effect: March 2022

What did Australia's Minamata obligations prohibit from January 2024: Use of bulk mercury in dentistry

What is the target end date for dental amalgam use under Minamata COP-5: 2030

What approach does the Minamata Convention take to amalgam: Phase-down, not phase-out

Can amalgam still be repaired or added to: Yes

Can CEREC restorations typically be repaired: No, typically replaced rather than repaired

Can composite resin restorations be repaired: Yes, material can be added to

Is composite resin the most affordable tooth-coloured option: Yes

Is amalgam typically the lowest-cost filling option: Yes

Does CEREC carry a technology premium in cost: Yes

Does CEREC eliminate laboratory fees: Yes

Does CEREC eliminate the need for a temporary filling: Yes

Does CEREC eliminate the need for a second appointment: Yes

Is composite resin covered by Australian private health insurance: Yes, under general dental benefits

Are CEREC restorations covered by private health insurance: Yes, though limits vary by fund

What is the best filling for a small anterior cavity: Composite resin

What is the best filling for a moderate to large posterior cavity: CEREC ceramic inlay or onlay

What filling is preferred for endodontically treated teeth with large cavities: CEREC onlay or full-coverage crown

What filling is preferred when moisture control is genuinely difficult: Amalgam may still be considered

What is an onlay: A restoration that covers one or more tooth cusps

What is an inlay: A restoration that fits within the cusps of a tooth

Does bruxism affect filling material choice: Yes, ceramic is preferred for high occlusal loads

Does caries risk affect restoration longevity: Yes, high caries risk reduces survival of any restoration

Does oral hygiene affect filling longevity: Yes, poor hygiene reduces restoration survival

What year was CEREC technology first investigated: More than 35 years ago from current date

What scanner does Smile Solutions use for CEREC: CEREC Omnicam

What are the steps in the CEREC workflow: Scan, design, mill, cement, and polish

Smile Solutions tooth fillings in Melbourne CBD: composite, porcelain (CEREC), and amalgam compared

When your dentist detects a cavity during your check-up, the question isn't simply whether to restore the tooth — it's how. The filling material your dentist recommends will shape the appearance of your smile, how much healthy tooth structure is preserved, how long your restoration lasts, and what you'll pay. If you're a patient in Melbourne CBD, the choice is no longer binary. At Smile Solutions, three principal restoration pathways are available: direct white composite resin, single-visit CEREC porcelain (ceramic) restorations, and traditional dental amalgam. Each has a distinct clinical profile, and the right choice depends on cavity size, tooth position, bite forces, your aesthetic goals, and your budget.

This guide offers a clinically grounded, evidence-based comparison of all three options — so you can make an informed decision alongside your dentist, and understand what sets a practice with full in-house CAD/CAM capability apart from one that can't offer same-visit ceramic restorations.

What are the main types of tooth fillings?

Before comparing materials, it helps to understand the basic categories.

Direct restorations are placed into the prepared cavity in a single appointment. Both composite resin and amalgam fall into this category. Indirect restorations are fabricated outside the mouth — either in a dental laboratory or via an in-chair milling machine — and then bonded or cemented in place. CEREC porcelain inlays and onlays are indirect restorations, but the CEREC Omnicam system at Smile Solutions compresses the traditional two-visit workflow into a single appointment.

Option 1: White composite resin fillings

What it is

Composite resin is a tooth-coloured dental material made from a resin matrix combined with small filler particles to improve strength and wear resistance. It bonds to tooth structure using an adhesive system, which seals the interface between tooth and restoration and allows a conservative approach — the restoration is shaped to fit the defect rather than relying on mechanical retention. In practical terms, that means more of your natural tooth structure stays intact.

How the procedure works

The adhesive bonding sequence is what makes composite both conservative and technique-sensitive. Acid etching, primer application, and bond resin application must all be completed before composite placement, and this sequence cannot tolerate moisture contamination at any stage. The composite is then placed incrementally, shaped, and light-cured in layers. Each appointment typically runs around 30 to 60 minutes per tooth.

Durability and longevity

After 10 years, survival rates for resin composite restorations sit at approximately 85–90%, with no meaningful difference between hybrid, microhybrid, and nanohybrid resin materials. A 2025 meta-analysis published in the Indus Journal of Bioscience Research found that composite restorations delivered higher patient satisfaction than amalgam, likely because of aesthetics and improved comfort, though restoration longevity was slightly higher for amalgam across the studies reviewed.

Modern nanohybrid formulations have substantially closed that durability gap. Advances from macro-filled to nanohybrid composites have improved mechanical qualities, wear resistance, and aesthetics, with sophisticated filler particles and resin matrices addressing the limitations of earlier generations.

Clinical indications

Composite resin is the first-line choice for small to moderate Class I, II, III, IV, and V cavities, all anterior restorations where aesthetics matter, patients seeking a mercury-free result, and cases where maximum tooth conservation is the priority. For very large restorations in high-stress posterior sites, ceramic indirect restorations — onlays or crowns — are generally preferred over composite, regardless of how composite compares to amalgam.

Key limitations

Composite is technique-sensitive. Contamination of the adhesive layer, inadequate light curing, or errors in incremental placement all reduce bond strength and increase marginal microleakage. Polymerisation shrinkage — the composite contracts slightly as it sets — creates stress at the bond interface, managed but not eliminated by incremental placement. Secondary caries and marginal discolouration are the most common reasons for replacing or repairing resin composite restorations, and patients with marginal discolouration often seek replacement out of concern about secondary caries or for aesthetic reasons.

Option 2: CEREC porcelain (ceramic) restorations — same-visit CAD/CAM

What CEREC is and why it matters

The concept behind computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing in dentistry was first investigated more than 35 years ago. CEREC was the first chairside system of its kind and has been in clinical use for more than 20 years. Its founding principles were aesthetic ceramic reconstruction, a single patient visit, and minimal tooth reduction — inlays and onlays rather than crowns.

At Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD, the CEREC Omnicam system lets your dentist optically scan the prepared tooth, design your restoration digitally on-screen, mill it from a ceramic block chairside, and cement it — all within one appointment. This eliminates the traditional two-visit workflow: impression, temporary filling, laboratory fabrication, second visit for cementation. For you, that means less total time in the chair and no waiting around with a temporary filling that can fracture or dislodge.

Durability and clinical performance

The clinical evidence for CEREC ceramic restorations spans more than two decades and is genuinely strong. Mean survival rate sits at 97.4% over a period of 4.2 years, and longer-term data holds up: Kaplan-Meier analysis puts the success rate of CEREC inlays and onlays at 88.7% after 17 years.

A 10-year prospective clinical study published in PubMed confirmed a success rate of 90.4% after 10 years — a clinically excellent outcome for a posterior restoration. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Conservative Dentistry found 5-year survival rates of 90% for feldspathic porcelain and 92% for glass ceramic; at 10 years, feldspathic porcelain held at 91% and glass ceramic at 89%. Ceramic partial coverage restorations outperformed resin partial coverage restorations at both the 5-year and 10-year marks. A separate 5-year clinical evaluation of ceramic onlays and overlays found that none failed due to fracture or retention loss, with only one restoration rated clinically unsatisfactory because of secondary caries.

Clinical indications for CEREC inlays and onlays

CEREC ceramic restorations are the preferred choice when the cavity is too large for a predictable direct composite filling (typically involving two or more surfaces in a posterior tooth), when the tooth has lost one or more cusps and requires cusp coverage, when the case calls for better contact and contour, higher strength, and reduced polymerisation shrinkage — particularly for endodontically treated teeth with significant hard tissue loss — or when you have a bruxism habit that places high occlusal loads on your posterior teeth.

The single-visit advantage at Smile Solutions

For Melbourne CBD professionals with limited time, the CEREC Omnicam workflow is a practical differentiator. Rather than wearing a temporary filling for two weeks while a laboratory fabricates your restoration, the entire process — scan, design, mill, cement, polish — is completed in one extended appointment. No impression material, no temporary restoration to worry about, no second appointment to schedule around your working day. (For more on fitting comprehensive dental care into a CBD work schedule, see our guide on General Dentistry for CBD Workers and City Commuters: How to Fit Dental Care Into a Busy Melbourne Schedule.)

Option 3: Dental amalgam

What it is and its historical role

Amalgam is an alloy of mercury and other metals that has been used in dentistry for more than 150 years. It has proved durable, safe, and effective, and has been the subject of extensive research over that time.

Durability: where amalgam still leads

On raw median survival time, amalgam retains a measurable longevity advantage over direct composite in posterior teeth. A systematic review published in Cureus (2025), covering eight studies from 2003 to 2023, found that amalgam restorations had median survival times exceeding 16 years, compared to 11 years for composite restorations.

The reason is mechanical. Unlike composite, amalgam doesn't rely on adhesive bonding — it sets hard and achieves retention through mechanical interlocking with undercut cavity walls. This makes it less sensitive to moisture contamination during placement, which matters in difficult-to-isolate posterior sites.

The regulatory and environmental shift away from amalgam

Despite its longevity, amalgam use is in structured global decline. The Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted in 2017, called for a gradual phase-down of dental amalgam in restorative treatment. Australia ratified the Convention in December 2021, with an effective implementation date of March 2022. From 1 January 2024, amalgam can only be used in its capsulated pre-dosed form; bulk mercury is prohibited. The Convention strongly discourages amalgam use in deciduous teeth, patients under 15, and pregnant women, except when considered necessary based on patient needs.

The Fifth Conference of Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP-5) upholds the phase-down approach, with 2030 as the target end date for dental amalgam use. The Convention allows for phase-down rather than phase-out, recognising that many countries still depend on amalgam as their main restorative material and that a universally suitable alternative has yet to be identified. In practice, however, the clinical shift in Melbourne CBD private practices has already moved decisively toward composite and ceramic alternatives.

When amalgam may still be considered

Amalgam retains clinical utility in a narrow set of scenarios: very large posterior restorations where moisture control is genuinely difficult, situations where cost is an absolute constraint, or where a patient has a documented composite resin sensitivity. In a well-equipped Melbourne CBD practice with CEREC capability like Smile Solutions, most cases that would previously have defaulted to amalgam can now be addressed with a same-visit ceramic restoration.

Head-to-head comparison: composite vs. CEREC ceramic vs. amalgam

How to choose: a clinical decision framework

Your dentist at Smile Solutions will guide you through material selection based on a thorough, personalised assessment. The following framework summarises the key clinical logic:

1. Small cavity, anterior tooth — Composite resin is almost always the right choice. Aesthetics and conservation are paramount; load demands are lower.
2. Small to moderate cavity, posterior tooth, aesthetics matter to you — Composite resin, placed with meticulous isolation and incremental technique.
3. Moderate to large cavity, posterior tooth, one or more cusps involved — CEREC ceramic onlay or inlay. Ceramic's superior fracture resistance and marginal integrity outperforms direct composite at this cavity size, and the same-visit workflow means no temporary restoration to contend with.
4. Very large posterior cavity with limited remaining tooth structure — CEREC onlay or full-coverage crown, potentially with endodontic assessment first (see our guide on Toothache Causes, Triage & Treatment: When to Wait and When to Call the Dentist Immediately).
5. You are pregnant, under 15, or have a deciduous tooth — Amalgam is specifically discouraged under the Minamata Convention; composite or glass ionomer are preferred.

The decision is never purely about materials in isolation. Clinical longevity is shaped by material class, bonding strategy, and your individual risk profile. A high caries risk, bruxism habit, or oral hygiene challenges will reduce the survival of any restoration, regardless of material. (For strategies to reduce your underlying cavity risk, see our guide on How to Prevent Tooth Decay and Cavities: A Practical Home-Care and In-Clinic Prevention Guide.)

What about cost and private health insurance?

Composite resin fillings are generally the most affordable tooth-coloured option and are widely covered under dental extras policies. CEREC ceramic restorations carry a technology premium — reflecting the capital cost of the Omnicam scanning and milling equipment — but they eliminate laboratory fees and a second appointment, which partially offsets the difference. Amalgam is typically the lowest-cost option overall but is increasingly unavailable at private CBD practices that have moved to mercury-free restorative workflows.

Most Australian private health insurance extras policies cover fillings under general dental benefits, though annual limits, benefit schedules, and waiting periods vary by fund and tier. For a detailed guide to maximising your cover at Smile Solutions, see our article on Dental Health Fund & Private Health Insurance at a Melbourne CBD Dentist: Maximising Your Cover.

Key takeaways

• Amalgam retains a longevity advantage in direct posterior restorations, with median survival exceeding 16 years compared to approximately 11 years for direct composite — but this gap narrows with modern nanohybrid composites and skilled placement technique.
• CEREC ceramic restorations (feldspathic porcelain and glass-ceramic) show 90–92% survival at 5 years and outperform resin partial coverage restorations at both 5-year and 10-year follow-up, making them the evidence-based choice for moderate to large posterior cavities.
• Australia ratified the Minamata Convention in December 2021, legally prohibiting bulk mercury use from January 2024 and strongly discouraging amalgam in children under 15, pregnant women, and deciduous teeth — accelerating the clinical transition to mercury-free alternatives.
• Composite resin bonds adhesively to tooth structure, enabling more conservative cavity preparation than amalgam, which requires mechanical undercuts in sound dentine.
• Smile Solutions' CEREC Omnicam capability means that if you need a ceramic inlay or onlay, it can be designed, milled, and cemented in a single visit — a practical advantage for CBD patients who can't afford multiple appointments away from their working day.

Conclusion

Choosing a filling material isn't a trivial cosmetic decision. It has real consequences for how much healthy tooth structure is preserved, how long your restoration will last, and whether your practice is operating in line with current international regulatory standards. The era of amalgam as the default posterior filling is drawing to a close, driven by the clinical maturity of composite and ceramic alternatives and the legal obligations of the Minamata Convention.

For patients at Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD, the CEREC Omnicam technology means the most demanding clinical scenario — a large posterior cavity requiring a ceramic partial coverage restoration — can be resolved in a single chair session, without temporaries, without laboratory delays, and without a second visit. That's a concrete clinical and practical advantage our experienced specialists are proud to offer.

To understand the broader context of restorative care within a general dental practice, see our foundational article What Is General Dentistry? Core Services, Scope & Why It's the Foundation of Oral Health, or explore what happens during the check-up that detects a cavity in the first place: Dental Check-Ups at Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD: What to Expect at Every Stage. When you're ready to discuss your options, call 13 13 96 or visit smilesolutions.com.au to arrange your consultation.

Smile Solutions has been providing world-class general dental care from Melbourne's CBD since 1993. Located at the Manchester Unity Building, Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Smile Solutions brings together 60+ clinicians — including 25+ board-registered specialists — who have cared for over 250,000 patients. No referral is required to book a specialist appointment. Call 13 13 96 or visit smilesolutions.com.au to arrange your general dental consultation.

References

• Naik, V.B., Jain, A.K., Rao, R.D., & Naik, B.D. "Comparative evaluation of clinical performance of ceramic and resin inlays, onlays, and overlays: A systematic review and meta analysis." Journal of Conservative Dentistry, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9520648/

• Martin, N., & Jedynakiewicz, N.M. "Clinical performance of CEREC ceramic inlays: a systematic review." Dental Materials, 15(1):54–61, 1999. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10483396/

• Otto, T., & De Nisco, S. "Long-term clinical results of chairside Cerec CAD/CAM inlays and onlays: a case series." PubMed, 2008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18350948/

• Zehra, A. et al. "Effectiveness of Resin-Composite Fillings vs. Amalgam Fillings in Restorative Dentistry: A Meta-Analysis on Durability and Patient Satisfaction." Indus Journal of Bioscience Research, Vol. 3, Issue 3, 2025. https://ijbr.com.pk/IJBR/article/view/896

• [Author group, Cureus]. "Longevity of Amalgam Versus Composite Resin Restorations in Permanent Posterior Teeth: A Systematic Review." Cureus, 2025. https://www.cureus.com/articles/386024

• Kim, H. et al. "Survival Rates of Amalgam and Composite Resin Restorations from Big Data Real-Life Databases in the Era of Restricted Dental Mercury Use." MDPI Bioengineering, June 2024. https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/11/6/579

• Australian Dental Association. "Policy Statement 6.18 – Safety of Dental Amalgam." Redrafted March 2023. https://ada.org.au/policy-statement-6-18-dental-amalgam

• Australian Dental Association. "Minamata Convention: What's It All About?" https://ada.org.au/minamata-convention-whats-it-all-about

• Minamata Convention on Mercury, Conference of the Parties (COP-5). "Amendments to Annexes A and B." November 2023. https://minamataconvention.org/en/amendments

• FDI World Dental Federation. "Amalgam (Part 2): Safe Use and Phase Down of Dental Amalgam." International Dental Journal, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9275277/

• Morimoto, S., Rebello de Sampaio, F.B., Braga, M.M., Sesma, N., & Özcan, M. "Survival Rate of Resin and Ceramic Inlays, Onlays, and Overlays." Journal of Dental Research, 2016. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022034516652848

• [Author group]. "5-Year clinical performance of ceramic onlay and overlay restorations luted with light-cured composite resin." Journal of Dentistry, 2024. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300571224004275

Label Facts Summary

Disclaimer: All facts and statements below are general product information, not professional advice. Consult relevant experts for specific guidance.

Verified Label Facts

Practice Identity & Location

• Practice name: Smile Solutions
• Address: Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
• Building: Manchester Unity Building
• Phone: 13 13 96
• Website: smilesolutions.com.au
• Operating since: 1993

Practice Scale

• Clinicians: 60+
• Board-registered specialists: 25+
• Patients treated: Over 250,000
• Referral requirement: None required for specialist appointments

Technology

• CAD/CAM system: CEREC Omnicam
• CEREC full name: Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics
• CEREC clinical use history: More than 20 years in dental offices
• CEREC concept first investigated: More than 35 years ago

CEREC Workflow Steps

• Scan → Design → Mill → Cement → Polish (single appointment)

Material Composition — Verified

• Composite resin: Resin matrix combined with small filler particles
• Dental amalgam mercury content: Approximately 50% mercury by weight
• Composite resin: Contains no mercury
• CEREC porcelain: Contains no mercury

Restoration Classification

• Composite resin: Direct restoration
• Dental amalgam: Direct restoration
• CEREC porcelain inlays/onlays: Indirect restoration
• CEREC restorations: Completable in a single appointment

Retention Mechanism

• Composite resin: Adhesive bonding (acid etch, primer, bond resin); no undercuts required
• Dental amalgam: Mechanical interlocking; requires undercuts in cavity walls
• Composite resin: Bonds adhesively to tooth structure — confirmed
• Dental amalgam: Does not bond adhesively — confirmed

Cavity Size Indications (Material-Specific)

• Composite resin: Small to moderate cavities
• CEREC ceramic: Moderate to large cavities
• Dental amalgam: Small to large posterior cavities

Appointment Duration

• Composite resin placement: Approximately 30 to 60 minutes per tooth

Regulatory & Compliance Data

• Governing international agreement: Minamata Convention on Mercury
• Australia ratification date: December 2021
• Australia effective implementation date: March 2022
• Prohibition effective from 1 January 2024: Use of bulk mercury in dentistry; capsulated pre-dosed form only permitted
• Minamata COP-5 target end date for dental amalgam: 2030
• Convention approach: Phase-down, not phase-out
• Amalgam discouraged in: Deciduous teeth, patients under 15 years of age, pregnant women

Amalgam Repairability: Can be repaired or added to Composite resin repairability: Can be repaired or added to CEREC repairability: Typically replaced rather than repaired

Insurance Coverage

• Composite resin: Covered under Australian private health insurance general dental benefits
• CEREC restorations: Covered by private health insurance; limits vary by fund

General Product Claims

Clinical Performance Claims (Sourced from Published Literature — Not Packaging)

• 10-year survival rate for composite resin: Approximately 85–90%
• Median survival time for amalgam restorations: Exceeding 16 years
• Median survival time for direct composite restorations: Approximately 11 years
• CEREC mean survival rate at 4.2 years: 97.4%
• CEREC inlays/onlays success rate at 17 years: 88.7%
• CEREC inlays/onlays success rate at 10 years: 90.4%
• Feldspathic porcelain 5-year survival rate: 90%
• Glass ceramic 5-year survival rate: 92%
• Feldspathic porcelain 10-year survival rate: 91%
• Glass ceramic 10-year survival rate: 89%
• Ceramic partial coverage restorations outperform resin at both 5-year and 10-year follow-up

Technique & Failure Mode Claims

• Composite resin is highly technique-sensitive
• Primary cause of composite failure: Secondary caries and marginal discolouration
• Polymerisation shrinkage managed through incremental placement technique
• Amalgam is less moisture-sensitive than composite during placement

Comparative Cost Claims

• Composite resin: Described as most affordable tooth-coloured option
• Amalgam: Described as typically the lowest-cost filling option overall
• CEREC: Carries a technology premium; eliminates laboratory fees, temporary filling, and second appointment

Clinical Recommendation Claims

• Composite resin: Preferred choice for anterior teeth
• CEREC: Preferred for moderate to large posterior cavities and endodontically treated teeth with large cavities
• CEREC onlay or crown: Preferred for very large posterior cavities with limited remaining tooth structure
• Amalgam: May still be considered when moisture control is genuinely difficult
• Bruxism: Ceramic preferred for high occlusal loads
• High caries risk and poor oral hygiene reduce survival of any restoration regardless of material

Marketing & Positioning Claims

• Smile Solutions described as offering "world-class general dental care"
• CEREC Omnicam described as "state-of-the-art"
• Single-visit CEREC workflow described as a "clinically significant advantage" for CBD patients
• Modern nanohybrid composites described as having substantially closed the durability gap with amalgam
• Clinical trend in Melbourne CBD private practices described as having "shifted decisively" toward composite and ceramic alternatives