Fillings

Traditional dental restorations, or fillings, are most often made of silver amalgam. The durability of this traditional dental material makes it useful when restored teeth need to withstand the extreme forces that result from chewing, often in the back of the mouth.

Newer dental fillings use ceramic and plastic compounds that are the color of natural teeth. These compounds, called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important, but they can also be used on the back teeth, depending on the location and extent of the decay.

Which is right for me?

Several factors influence the performance, durability, and cost of a dental filling, including:

The components used in the filling material
The amount of tooth structure remaining
Where and how the filling is placed
The chewing load that the tooth will have to bear
Which type of filling you need

Before your treatment begins, your dentist will explain all of your options and help you choose the best filling for your particular case. To prepare for this discussion, it may help to understand the two basic types of dental fillings — direct and indirect.

Direct fillings are placed into a prepared cavity in a single visit. They can be made of silver amalgam, glass ionomers, resin ionomers, or composite (resin). The dentist prepares the tooth, places the filling, and adjusts it in one appointment.
Indirect fillings generally require two or more visits. They include inlays, onlays, and veneers, with can be made with gold, base metal alloys, ceramics, or composites. We use this type of treatment when a tooth has too much damage to support a direct filling but not enough to require a crown. During the first visit, the dentist prepares the tooth and makes an impression of the area that needs to be restored. They then place a temporary covering over the prepared tooth. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory, which creates the dental restoration. At the next appointment, the dentist cements the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as needed.

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Fillings

Fillings

Which is right for me?

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