Composite fillings are used to restore decayed teeth. These are natural tooth colored plastic or glass mixed with resin bases to fill the dental cavities. Composite filling is used to restore decayed teeth on either front or back of teeth. If you have a decayed tooth, the dentist removes the tooth and fills the space with composite filling. It is also used to repair the cracked teeth.
Types of composite fillings:
Depending on the type of material used, these fillings are of following types:
- Amalgum filling
- Composite resin filling
- Cast gold filling
- Ceramic filling
- Glass ionomers
Amalgum filling are the made of mixture of metals like copper, zinc, mercury. This filling is used in patients having decayed teeth on back side.
Composite resin filling is made up of resins made up of plastic or glass material. It is used to fill in front side of teeth. These fillings are identical to natural teeth.
Cast gold fillings are made up of gold alloy and most commonly used as it does not corrode. These are expensive.
Ceramic fillings are made up of porcelain material. These are more resistant to staining
Glass ionomers are made up of acrylic material. These are used to fill baby teeth and front teeth in adults. These are weaker than composite resin fillings.
How dental composites placed?
Fist, the dentist gives local anesthesia the area where decayed tooth is present.
Then remove the decayed teeth with a drill. Then dentist examines whether the debris is removed completely or not.
Then the space is filled with the resin in layers.
A laser light beam is passed to harden the layers of resin.
After the completion of multilayering, the dentist will shape the resin to match with the natural tooth.
Finally, the dentist polishes the filling to prevent staining.
Materials used as composite filling
The materials used as composite filling are the porcelain, Plastic, glass, mixture of metal alloys, Acrylic compounds and gold compounds. Among these, Plastic and glass mixed with resin are widely used as filling as it resembles natural tooth color.
Advantages of composite filling
The advantages of composite filling are
- Good durability
- Resistant to stains
- This filling is identical to natural teeth color
- Can be used to fill space either front or on back side of teeth
- Used to restore decayed tooth
- It also corrects the disfigured teeth
- It protects teeth from excessive heat.
- Can withstand chewing forces
Disadvantages of composite filling
- Not for long time
- Discoloration of filling due to consumption of tea and alcohols
- Expensive to wear composite filling
- During amalgamate filling, a sharp pain may occur
Make sure to check with your dentist if your oral health is suitable for composite filling.