Dental Fillings

What Type of Dental Filling Should I Go With?

While there is a range of factors to consider when deciding what type of dental filling is best for you, our family dentist is happy to help you decide which option is right by providing details on our recommended types of fillings.

Tooth Colored Composite Fillings

Composite fillings are a mixture of plastic and finely ground glass-like particles that produce a tooth-colored restoration. The most obvious advantage of tooth colored composite fillings is that they look more natural compared to other types of dental fillings. However, they also offer advantages in terms of good durability and resistance to fracture in mid-size restorations that need to be able to withstand moderate chewing pressure. Furthermore, less drilling of the tooth is required when placing a composite as compared to an amalgam, which makes for a smaller dental filling.

Tooth colored composites actually bond to the tooth structure itself, meaning that they can be placed in a cavity, often allowing your family dentist to make a more conservative repair to the tooth. However, with teeth that have higher chewing loads (such as those in the back of the mouth), it is important to know that composite fillings are less resistant to wear than silver amalgams, so they are much better suited for teeth in the front of the mouth, which take less pressure.

Glass Ionomers

Glass ionomer dental fillings are made from acrylic and a compound of fine glass powders that are used to fill cavities, particularly those below the gum line. The material produces fluoride, which actively strengthens the teeth and decreases the risk of decay. Glass ionomers are less resistant to wear and are primarily used as small fillings in areas that don’t need to withstand heavy chewing pressure. They are more often employed in small, non-load bearing fillings such as those between the teeth or on the roots of teeth.

Resin Ionomers

Resin ionomer dental fillings are also made from glass filler with acrylic acids and acrylic resin. In addition to this, they are also used for non-load bearing fillings and have a considerably low to moderate resistance to fracture. Ionomers experience high wear when placed on chewing surfaces. While both glass and resin ionomers mimic natural tooth color, they lack the natural translucency of enamel. Both types are well tolerated by patients with only rare occurrences of allergic response.

Porcelain (Ceramic) Dental Fillings

These can be used as inlays, onlays, crowns, and aesthetic veneers (a thin shell of porcelain used to replace or cover part of the tooth enamel). All-porcelain ceramic restorations are particularly popular because their color and translucency resemble natural tooth enamel. Porcelain restorations require a minimum of two visits or possibly more to our Tuscaloosa office. The strength of all-porcelain depends on an adequate thickness of porcelain and the ability to be bonded to the underlying tooth. These materials are highly resistant to wear, but the porcelain can quickly wear opposing teeth if the porcelain’s surface becomes rough.