Abstract Contemporary dentistry literally cannot be performed without use of resin-based restorative materials. With the success of bonding resin materials to tooth structures, an even wider scope of clinical applications has arisen for these lines of products. Understanding of the basic events occurring in any dental polymerization mechanism, regardless of the mode of activating the process, will allow clinicians to both better appreciate the tremendous improvements that have been made over the years, and will also provide valuable information on differences among strategies manufacturers use to optimize product performance, as well as factors under the control of the clinician, whereby they can influence the long-term outcome of their restorative procedures.