The End of Amalgam: Why Composite Protocols Now Define Restorative Dentistry
For decades, the choice between amalgam and composite was a clinical debate. It is now becoming a regulatory fact. At the sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (Geneva, November 2025), countries agreed that from 2034 the manufacture, import and export of dental amalgam will no longer be permitted. Restrictions for children and pregnant women already took effect in 2023, and the European Union banned amalgam for most uses from January 2025. Parties now have nine years to adapt their national health systems, and that transition happens chairside, one restoration at a time.
The consequence is simple: composite technique is no longer an esthetic specialty. It is the baseline skill of restorative dentistry, including the posterior Class I and II work that many clinicians still handled with amalgam.
What this book contributes
Ronaldo Hirata's Recipes for Composite Restorations (Quintessence, 464 pages) answers exactly that need. Instead of theory, it presents 26 clinical protocols as step-by-step "recipes," covering the full restorative range: bleaching and microabrasion, rubber dam isolation, layered and bulk-fill posterior restorations, bioactive materials, semi-direct and CAD/CAM indirect restorations, and anterior Class III, IV and V cases.
Three practical applications
First, clinicians moving posterior work away from amalgam get two dedicated bulk-fill protocols (flowable and regular consistency), the most efficient route to predictable Class I and II composites. Second, the chapters on universal shade composites and simplified systems show how to reduce inventory and chair time without sacrificing esthetics. Third, the injectable flowable technique and the chapters on diastemas and black triangles give practices a conservative, additive alternative to more invasive cosmetic treatment.
For dental school libraries
With curricula adapting to a mercury-free future, this title works as a practical companion to core restorative textbooks, especially for postgraduate programs and clinical training where students need protocols they can follow directly. Explore more clinical titles in our Medicine collection.
Ordering with CLNZ Books
Price includes worldwide shipping. We accept card and PayPal, provide institutional invoicing, and support library acquisitions with quotes answered within 24 hours.
Q&A
What are the best alternatives to dental amalgam for posterior restorations?
Resin composites, particularly bulk-fill composites and bioactive materials, are the main direct alternatives. Hirata's book covers both with dedicated clinical protocols.
Are bulk-fill composites reliable for Class II restorations?
Yes, when used with the correct technique and isolation. The book includes separate protocols for flowable and regular-consistency bulk-fill materials.
What is the injectable flowable composite technique?
It uses a transparent silicone index to inject flowable composite directly onto the teeth, reproducing a pre-planned wax-up. It is widely used for diastema closure and minimally invasive esthetic cases.
When should a composite restoration be semi-direct or indirect instead of direct?
Typically in large posterior cavities where direct layering risks poor contacts or shrinkage stress. Chapters 11 to 13 cover semi-direct, indirect and CAD/CAM block options.
Where can I buy Recipes for Composite Restorations by Ronaldo Hirata?
It is available from CLNZ Books at clnzbooks.com, with worldwide shipping included in the price and institutional invoicing for libraries.