Tooth-coloured
fillings can be chosen to match the colour of the teeth, making
them a natural-looking alternative to amalgam fillings.
Tooth-coloured fillings
are often used in teeth that show during smiling or talking.
They are not as durable as amalgam, and so they aren't always
suitable for the grinding and chewing surfaces of the back teeth.
There are a few different
types of tooth-coloured filling materials. The most common are
called composite and glass ionomer. They are soft and can be
moulded to look like the shape of a tooth before they are hardened,
usually using a blue light. Tooth-coloured filling materials
stick to teeth, so they can be used to build up the edges of
chipped or worn teeth.
Composite shrinks very
slightly under the blue light. This can pull on the tooth and
may cause sensitivity. It can also produce a tiny gap between
the filling and the tooth that may lead to further decay.
Tooth-coloured fillings
must be kept completely dry until they have set, so the dentist
will take special precautions to keep saliva away from the area.
This may include placing a sheet of rubber over the tooth (called
a rubber dam).
Bisphenol
A
Tooth-coloured filling materials do not contain mercury. However,
there have been concerns that they release a chemical called
bisphenol A. This chemical is also used in the manufacture of
some food packaging and water pipes.
Bisphenol A appears to
mimic the action of human oestrogen hormones, and has been linked
to breast cancer, prostate cancer and male infertility. The
British Dental Association has looked into this, and found that
most filling materials do not release bisphenol A, so there
is no oestrogenic effect.2 However, this chemical is being used
less in newer filling products.
Advantages
& Disadvantages of Composite Resin Fillings
Pros and Cons
of a composite resin fillings
Advantages:
The composite of composite resin fillings bonds to further support
the remaining tooth structure, which helps prevent breakage
and damage to your tooth. They certainly look better, and are
color blended to match your natural tooth color. These fillings
are often used to improve the appearance of misshapen, chipped
or discolored teeth.
Composite resin fillings
last about six to twelve years or more, and the procedure usually
takes just one visit to your dentist. There is very little sensitivity
to hot or cold items often experienced with amalgam fillings.
The dentist won't need to drill as much of the tooth structure
as with amalgam fillings.
Disadvantages:
Composite resin fillings require more time to apply than amalgam
fillings. This results in an increased cost for placing composite
fillings.
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