One of the restorative alternatives in the treatment of proximal cario
us lesions is the box-only approach. This paper describes baseline and
two-year results with 68 box-only resin composite restorations in a c
linical study. The restorations were made using a glass ionomer cement
as a dentin replacement and a bevelled outline. In terms of treatment
time (32 minutes) and postoperative sensitivity (4 cases), the box-on
ly restorations show favorable properties in comparison to conventiona
l Class II resin composite restorations. At the two-year assessment no
failures were observed, with fair results regarding clinical characte
ristics. It is concluded that, although applied to a limited number of
teeth, the results indicate that the box-only approach with resin com
posites may make a contribution to the tooth-tissue-saving, restorativ
e techniques.