Dental Fillings

Fillings
Fillings are used to fix and fill teeth that have been damaged over time, or require that small gaps be filled to remove sensitivity from the teeth. There are 3 types of material which we generally use for fillings:

Amalgam:
This is a silver metal based filling and historically was the most widely used, long lasting and tried and tested solution for filling cavities in teeth. More recently people have been getting amalgam fillings removed and replaced with white composite or ceramic fillings, the advantage of this is that your fillings will be tooth coloured rather than silver in colour.

White Composite:
A composite filling is a tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. They are mainly used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth. The only drawbacks of composite fillings are that the shade of the composite can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee or other staining foods and they tend to wear out sooner than silver fillings in larger cavities, although they hold up as well in small cavities.

White Ceramic/ Porcelain:
Ceramic or Porcelain dental fillings provide better natural tooth colour match than any other material and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. However, they are not as strong as amalgam fillings and may need to be replaced more often. All-ceramic fillings are a good choice for teeth that are more visible in the mouth.