Longing for modern composite materials in the late 1800s.

Restoring teeth in the late 1800s required ingenuity and creativity, as the materials available were a far cry from is presently used. Likewise, restorative preparation designs had not yet been promulgated by GV Black. Concerns about both restorations that contracted due to the nature of the filling material and retention of sound tooth structure in favor of cutting away dentin and enamel in order to place "metal caps" were held by many dentists. While some dental professionals had a vision for the ideal restorative materials, they made do with what they had in an attempt to provide quality dentistry.