Sir, prior to the cessation of routine dentistry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK was trying to actively reduce the amount of waste mercury disposal. Regulations were introduced in 2018 to advise on the management and use of dental amalgam as a restorative material. It was advised that amalgam should not be used in children under the age of 15 or women that are breastfeeding or pregnant, unless deemed strictly necessary by the practitioner on the grounds of specific medical needs of the patient.1

These are unprecedented times in dentistry. Waiting times and the number of patients that require to be seen has grown exponentially, carious lesions may have increased in size due to delays in follow up, cooperation from children may have decreased as desensitisation from regular dental exposure has reduced, and the NHS has come under intensive financial strain. One would ask the question, would composite still be a viable restorative material for this subgroup in these circumstances? Or would amalgam be a more suitable dental material in the immediate future as it requires a shorter clinical placement time, is less technique sensitive, produces less aerosol generation for occlusal adjustment and is also less expensive than composite?