Tooth-Colored Fillings

Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, are most often made of silver amalgam. The strength and durability of this traditional dental material make it useful for situations where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result from chewing, often in the back of the mouth.

Newer dental fillings include ceramic and plastic compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important, but they can also be used on the back teeth depending on the location and extent of the tooth decay.

What’s Right for Me?

Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity, and expense of dental restorations, including:

• The components used in the filling material
• The amount of tooth structure remaining
• Where and how the filling is placed
• The chewing load that the tooth will have to bear
• The length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth

Before your treatment begins, your doctor will discuss with you all of your options and help you choose the best filling for your particular case. In preparation for this discussion, it may be helpful to understand the two basic types of dental fillings — direct and indirect.

• Direct fillings are fillings placed into a prepared cavity in a single visit. They include silver amalgam, glass ionomers, resin ionomers, and composite (resin) fillings. The dentist prepares the tooth, places the filling, and adjusts it in one appointment.
• Indirect fillings generally require two or more visits. They include inlays, onlays, and veneers fabricated with gold, base metal alloys, ceramics, or composites. They are used when a tooth has too much damage to support a filling but not enough to necessitate a crown. During the first visit, the dentist prepares the tooth and makes an impression of the area to be restored. The dentist then places a temporary covering over the prepared tooth. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory, which creates dental restoration. At the next appointment, the dentist cements the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as needed.

BIG TEXT

GENERAL TIPS FOR A HEALTHY DIET AND A HEALTHY MOUTH

• Limit your child’s consumption of sugary foods and beverages. When plaque combines with the sugars and starches, an acid is produced that attacks enamel on the teeth, and eventually causes decay.
• Make sure your youngster’s diet includes a balance of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy products. The nutrients found in these foods are crucial to his or her growth and health.
• Look for sugar in unexpected places. Many foods that make up a balanced, healthy diet contain sugar — including fruit, some vegetables, and milk. The best time to eat these is during meals, not as a snack.
• Speaking of snacks, limit your youngster’s snacking to only a few per day, and make sure they’re nutritious!
• Fun foods, like candy and starchy snacks, should be reserved for special occasions, not everyday snacking.
• When he or she is old enough, let your child chew sugar-free gum that carries the ADA seal. Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva flow, which washes away food debris and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria.
• Ensure your little one brushes twice a day and flosses to eliminate food debris that leads to harmful plaque and bacteria and causes tooth decay.