Fillings

FILLINGS

After decay is removed from a tooth, something must be placed in that space to give strength back to the tooth.

Fillings: Fillings are the most common restorative procedure. Fillings can be white or silver.

Inlays and onlays: In addition to fillings, lab fabricated inlays and onlays are available in gold and white porcelain or resin. Although many patients think of these as fillings as well, they are actually different since they are laboratory fabricated.

White fillings: White fillings are made of a strong composite resin that is matched to the surrounding tooth color. In the past white fillings were placed only on front teeth but recently a stronger and more durable material has been developed that can withstand the chewing pressure of back teeth.

White fillings bond to tooth structure and are used more commonly than silver fillings because:

Less removal of healthy tooth structure is usually required for bonded restorations
Bonded restorations give strength back to a tooth
Bonded fillings are much more cosmetic than silver fillings
Bonded fillings contain no mercury

Silver (amalgam) fillings: Silver fillings were used for many years to restore cavities on back teeth.

Use of silver fillings has decreased greatly in recent years because:

They usually require more removal of healthy tooth structure
They weaken teeth and leak more than white fillings
They contain mercury
Most people think they are ugly

Gold inlay or onlay: A gold inlay or onlay is used when the cavity is too big for a filling, but isn't so big that a crown is required. An inlay is a filling within the cusp tips of the tooth. Onlays (also known as overlays) will overlay one or more cusps in order to protect and strengthen the tooth.

White Porcelain or Resin inlay or onlay: A porcelain or resin inlay or onlay is used when the cavity is too big for a white resin filling, but isn't so big that a crown is required. An inlay is a filling within the cusp tips of the tooth. Onlays (also known as overlays) will overlay one or more cusps in order to protect and strengthen the tooth.