FILLINGS

(Direct Restorations)

A filling is placed in a tooth to bring it to the original "natural" form and function, by replacing destroyed tooth structure. In recent years, white restorations have been more popular because of esthetic appearance.

White Fillings

-white filling or "composite" is the material used to fill a cavity in visible, esthetic areas

-the filing sets and becomes hard with the help of a curing light (UV light)

-unlike a silver filling with composites there are variety of tooth color shades

-average life-span of a white filling is 5-10 years

(this will increase with the improvement of materials)

Silver Fillings

-commonly known as amalgam

-it has been the filling material of choice for decades

-it is still an excellent filler material because it provides anti-bacterial properties 

-a life-span of a silver filling is about 8-10 years (most of which last much longer)

-there has been concern about mercury that is an ingredient in the silver filling

-up to date there has been no proof that silver fillings are harmful and that they should be replaced with white fillings or not placed at all

-despite of the findings, many patients prefer white fillings either due to esthetics or because of negative publicity or their intrinsic belief that silver fillings are toxic

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