What is a filling?

Dental fillings are metallic or ceramic based substances used to fill in cavities in your tooth. Cavities are holes in the enamel of your tooth that usually expose underlying dentin. Very large cavities or cracks in your tooth that have eroded past the dentin down to the nerve root may require other interventions, such as a root canal, instead of fillings.

What types of filling are there?

Dental fillings are of two main types:

1. Silver (Amalgam) fillings
Dental amalgam is a mixture of mercury, and an alloy of silver, tin and copper. Mercury makes up about 40-50 percent of the compound. Mercury is used to bind the metals together and to provide a strong, hard durable filling. After years of research, mercury has been found to be the only element that will bind these metals together in such a way that can be easily manipulated into a tooth cavity.

2. Composite (White) fillings
A composite resin is a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide). Following preparation, the dentist places the composite in layers, using a light specialized to harden each layer. When the process is finished, the dentist will shape the composite to fit the tooth. The dentist then polishes the composite to prevent staining and early wear.

What Are The Advantages Of Composite Bonding?

Appearance - The most obvious advantage is esthetics. Available in a variety of colors and special shades, composite bonding can be made to look as natural and pleasant as your own tooth.

Strength - Composite bonding, although not as strong as "Silver Fillings," produces a filling that supports a tooth, making it less likely to break. Unlike "Silver Fillings" that depend on bulk of filling material and undercuts to hold them into place and remain strong and durable under biting pressure, composite bonding adheres to the tooth itself. In addition, composite fillings do not expand and contract with changing temperatures presented by different foods and drinks..

Tooth Conservation - In composite bonding only a small amount of natural structure, if any, is removed.

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If my tooth doesn’t hurt and my filling is still in place, why would the filling need to be replaced?

Constant pressure from chewing, grinding or clenching can cause dental fillings, or restorations, to wear away, chip or crack. Although you may not be able to tell that your filling is wearing down, your dentist can identify weaknesses in your restorations during a regular check-up.

If the seal between the tooth enamel and the restoration breaks down, food particles and decay-causing bacteria can work their way under the restoration. You then run the risk of developing additional decay in that tooth. Decay that is left untreated can progress to infect the dental pulp and may cause an abscess.

If the restoration is large or the recurrent decay is extensive, there may not be enough tooth structure remaining to support a replacement filling. In these cases, your dentist may need to replace the filling with a crown.

Composite Bonding

Composite bonding can work wonders for your smile. Using materials that match the shade, translucency and the texture of your teeth, gaps between teeth can be closed, spots and discolorations can be eliminated, and your self-confidence can be enhanced through the improved appearance of your smile. The composite materials that are bonded to your teeth have a completely natural look, and allow you to eat, bite and chew as you normally would. Tooth bonding is a fairly simple procedure that rarely takes more than one office visit, other than in the most unique of circumstances. Composite bonding is excellent for small defects in the teeth: spots, chips, or gaps between teeth. For smile restorations involving an entire tooth or multiple teeth, porcelain/ceramic restorations are the material of choice.