White fillings
Most people have fillings of one sort or another but, today, because we are much more conscious of our smile, we can choose a natural looking alternative – the composite or tooth-coloured filling.
Composite fillings are made from a tooth-coloured resin which consists of a mixture of plastic and glass. It supports the structure of a damaged tooth, helping to prevent further breakage or sensitivity, and can be placed in the front or back teeth.
Augustus Road Dental practice has teamed up with Kulzer – a specialist in dental materials who lead the way in providing exceptional high quality products for dentists – to use top of the range Venus Composites for our patients aesthetic needs.
What does treatment involve?
- The area to be treated is numbed with a local anaesthetic and the decayed part of the tooth removed.
- A gel is applied to the tooth, creating tiny holes to allow the composite material to bond effectively.
- The acidic gel is washed away and the tooth dried.
- A priming agent is applied so the composite filling will form a strong bond.
- The colour matched shade of composite is then applied in layers and moulded to match the shape of the tooth.
- The resin is hardened with a special bright light and it is then polished to look like a natural part of the tooth.
The main advantage of composite fillings is their aesthetic appeal. The main disadvantage is that they sometimes take a little longer to complete.
White fillings have always been considered less long lasting than silver amalgam fillings, but there are now new materials available with properties comparable to silver amalgam, and these are proving to be very successful. The life expectancy of your composite filling can depend on the depth of cavity and its position in the mouth; your dentist is best positioned to advise you.
