Fillings

Since the early 1970's dental fillings have been made with ceramic, porcelain and plastic compounds that replicate the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often 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 tooth decay. More recent materials, such as zirconia, are even more resistant to chewing forces for molar teeth. Removing as little tooth structure as possible and mimicing the natural properties of teeth is referred to as biomimetic dentistry.

What’s right for me?

Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity, and expense of dental restorations, 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
  • The length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth

Before your treatment begins, your doctor will discuss with you all of your options and help you choose the best material and restoration for your particular case. In preparation for this discussion it may be helpful to understand the two basic types of dental fillings — direct and indirect.

  • Direct fillings are fillings placed into a prepared cavity in a single visit. They include glass ionomers, resin ionomers, and composite (resin) fillings. The dentist prepares the tooth, places the filling, and adjusts it in one appointment.
  • Indirect fillings generally require two or more visits. They include crowns, onlays, and veneers fabricated with gold, ceramics, or composites. They are used when a tooth has too much damage to support a filling. During the first visit, the dentist prepares the tooth and makes an impression of the area to be restored. In most cases, the restoration is created in our office within a few hours of the initial visit. The patient returns that same day and then the dentist cements the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as needed.