How are composite resin fillings different from amalgam
fillings?
Composite resin dental fillings were created as an
alternative to traditional metal dental fillings.Tooth fillings colored to look like a
natural tooth are known as Composite Resin Dental Fillings,are made of a plastic dental
resin. Composite Resin Dental Fillings are strong, durable, and make for a very natural
looking smile. Many dental insurance plans cover their use.
How are composite resin fillings
accomplished?
Your dentist will give you a local anesthetic to numb
the area. The dentist then prepares an access to the decayed area of the tooth and removes
the decayed portions. This is accomplished with traditional drills, micro air abrasion or
even with a dental laser. With a composite filling, your dentist will preserve more of the
natural tooth as the composite resin can be bonded to the tooth in thin layers. If your
tooth's decayed area is close to a nerve, a special liner will be used to protect the
nerve.
A special dental material is then used to open up the
pores of your tooth's dentin and roughens up the surface of the exposed enamel. This
achieves better and stronger bond. The bond resin is applied to stick the composite to
your tooth. This material is made of the same dental resin as the composite however it is
much more fluid. This layer is then hardened and cured with a very bright light.
Composite resin fillings are applied in thin layers,
and slowly built up to form the complete filling. A bright dental light will harden each
layer before the next is applied.
Once your filling is completed, your dentist will use a
special paper, articulating paper, to adjust the height of your dental filling and that
your bite remains correct. Your tooth is then polished.
If such a filling is not going to be enough to protect
your damaged tooth, or if your tooth enamel is thin and will easily fracture, or if your
tooth has had a root canal that weakened your tooth condition, your tooth may require
additional protection such as a crown. (You can read more about tooth crowns here.)
Next: Different
types of fillings
- Introduction to dental fillings
section
- Fillings for your teeth - an overview
- When are dental fillings called for?
- Procedure description: Dental fillings
- Types of tooth fillings - amalgam and resin
- How much do cavity fillings cost?
- Things to consider - Advantages and disadvantages
- Before and after photos - dental fillings
- Personal stories from people who have had their teeth
filled
- Discuss fillings and cavities on the cosmetic dentistry
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