Tooth-colored dental fillings are the popular way to fill up cavities these days. Silver amalgam fillings have been the norm for the past 150 years, but a lot has changed since better alternatives emerged. Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury which is now known to be toxic to the body. It also has a grey color which ensures any repairs made with it sticks out.
Nowadays, most patients prefer alternatives that allow their teeth to keep their natural look. Tooth-colored fillings can be color-matched with the patient’s teeth and they can be used to repair other types of damage to teeth.
Let us take a closer look at the three most common types of tooth-colored dental fillings:
These are the more common option when it comes to tooth-colored fillings. These composites are made from mixtures of plastic and glass. Repairs made with them are not as durable as those made with silver amalgam fillings, but they can last up to five years with good oral hygiene. Touch-up applications can be performed as needed to increase the longevity of these restorations.
Using composite resin to treat tooth decay often involves the dentist giving the patient a shot of a local anesthetic at the start of the treatment. Decayed teeth matter is removed from the tooth and the area is cleaned. The dentist might use an etching solution to roughen the tooth before applying the composite that has been matched with the shade of the patient’s teeth. The additional layers of the composite are added until the dentist gets the desired results. The composite is hardened with a curing light to complete the treatment.
These are often used to create fillings outside of the mouth. Called onlays or inlays depending on how they are used, these restorations are made in a dental lab. The dentist takes an impression of the patient’s tooth and sends it to the lab where restorations are made. The process takes about two weeks.
When the customized onlay or inlay is ready, the dentist cements it to the patient’s tooth. This leads to a natural-looking restoration. Inlays are used when only a small portion of a tooth is damaged, while onlays are used to cover the entire biting surface.
These are made from materials like resin, glass and acrylic acid. These are a less durable type of filling, but they do lead to aesthetically pleasing results.
Tooth-colored fillings allow patients to repair decayed teeth without compromising their appearance. In many cases, the process of getting this is not significantly different from getting silver amalgam fillings. The benefits that come with tooth-colored fillings include:
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