Fillings

A choice of materials is offered including white and gold fillings. Amalgam (grey/black) fillings are not offered because of their mercury content, lack of adhesion and appearance. A composite resin is a tooth-coloured plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide). Composites are not only used to restore decayed areas but are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the colour of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.

Composite Resin

Advantages of composite resin:

• They are available in many shades of tooth colours, and can be mixed and matched to create the exact colour of the part of the tooth being replaced.
• They are a resin, and thus the dentist only needs to remove the damaged/decayed part of the teeth prior to filling. In other words, all healthy tooth structure can be preserved. This is not the case for amalgam fillings.
• They are bonded/glued to the tooth and increase the strength and structure of the tooth.
• They are cured by an ultra-violet light and set hard immediately.
• They do not contain mercury.