Manufacturers of dental restorative materials are now concentrating on creating a bonded material that has the favorable properties of both glass ionomer and composite resin, combined with the wear resistance and fracture toughness of metallic restorations. The result has been the creation of a new composite material, now referred to as ¿compomer¿. The compomer is a pioneer material in this family. It combines the fluoride-releasing chemistry of a glass ionomer with the esthetics and structural properties of a composite into a mono-component restorative material. Accompanying the development of the compomer is a new bonding system, which only requires one liquid to prime and bond the restoration to the tooth. This polyacid-modified composite resin is indicated for Class I, II, III and V restorations in the primary and permanent dentitions.

Omar El Meligy, Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at King Abdulaziz and Alexandria Universities. BDS (1990), MSc (1995) and PhD (2001) from Alexandria University, Egypt. Research Scholar in School of Dentistry, Indiana University, USA (1998-2000).