There are many types of filling materials available, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. You and your dentist can discuss the best option for restoring your teeth. Composite fillings are a clear alternative to traditional mercury fillings. They are modern tooth-colored fillings which are virtually invisible.
Reasons for composite fillings:
How are composite fillings placed?
A composite filling is a tooth colored quartz-like material. After tooth decay is removed and cleaned, and a fluoride releasing liner is placed to decrease post operative sensitivity, this tooth colored material is layered into the tooth.
Each layer is hardened or cured with highly intense visible light, and the final surface is shaped and polished to match or enhance the natural tooth contours making the final restoration virtually invisible.
Advantages:
Composite fillings are more than just attractive. They are environmentally non-toxic because they contain no mercury. They are stronger because they bond chemically and mechanically directly to the inside of the tooth creating a better seal from bacterial leakage. They protect the tooth from fracturing because they don't require the same severe "undercut" (removal of healthy tooth structure) of a mercury filling.
Also, composite fillings behave more like natural tooth structure within the oral cavity, in that they expand and contract when heated and cooled at a similar rate to the tooth. This is unlike the thermal response of a silver amalgam filling.
Silver amalgam is a metal with properties that cause expansion and contraction at a more exaggerated rate. This metal is housed within the walls of the tooth, and over time, can create small micro-fractures to appear which can eventually lead to complete tooth fracture, necessitating placement of a crown.
Good oral hygiene practices, a proper diet, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new restoration.