Dental fillings in Isle of Man

What are white fillings?

White fillings are now becoming a popular alternative to amalgam fillings. The new dental materials mean it is much easier to find a perfect match for the shade of a particular tooth. In most cases, it is quite impossible to see that the tooth even has a filling.

In almost every case, where fillings are needed, white or tooth-coloured filling materials will be discussed as an attractive alternative to silver mercury fillings. Modern, state of the art materials manage to combine excellent aesthetics and cosmetic improvement with high flexural and tensile strength, fracture toughness and wear and erosion resistance. Some patients request that all their metal fillings be replaced with tooth-coloured restorations, while others only decide when it is clinically necessary to do a filling.

The Advantages of White Fillings

• Since they bond to the tooth, composite fillings restore most of the original strength of the tooth. Silver weakens the teeth, making them more susceptible to breaking. Since broken teeth are very expensive to restore, composites can save a lot of expense over the long run.
• Composite fillings restore the natural appearance of the tooth.
• Teeth restored with white fillings are less sensitive to hot and cold than teeth restored with amalgam, if correct techniques are used.
• Composites are mercury-free. Mercury in the fillings is viewed by some as being toxic.
• Composites require less removal of tooth structure. Especially with new cavities, the size of the hole made for the filling can be dramatically smaller with composites.