In 1983 and 1988 a questionnaire was sent to a random sample of Belgian dentists to compare the selection of filling materials such as amalgam and gold with the tooth-coloured filling materials, composites and glass polyalkenoate (ionomer) cements, for the restoration of Class II lesions in premolar and permanent molar teeth. Despite the increasing demand for aesthetics to be considered, the use of composite resins in the posterior region only increased moderately over the assessment period, while amalgam maintained its leading position as the restorative material of choice in premolar and molar teeth. Only in situations where aesthetics played a primary role did composite resins gain over silver-based fillings. There was no change in the use of gold as an indirect restorative material. Finally, the selection rate of glass ionomers increased slightly.