Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, are most often made of silver amalgam. The strength and durability of this traditional dental material made it useful in the past but continued research has given us new and better options

Newer dental fillings include ceramic, resin-polymer and flouro-silicate glass compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth.

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 the dental restoration. At the next appointment, the dentist cements the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as needed.

The primary filling materials used in our office  and where to find more detailed information on them are:

Activa by Pulpdent: A bioactive resin that helps mimic natural tooth structure.

    https://www.pulpdent.com/activa/

Filtek Supreme Ultra: A very durable and esthetic composite reinforced with zirconia where we need increased durability.

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/629066O/filtektm-supreme-ultra-universal-restorative.pdf

Equia Forte: A mineral releasing glass for deep cavities and senstive areas that decreases vulnerability to further decay.

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/629066O/filtektm-supreme-ultra-universal-restorative.pdf