Composite Resin Fillings

Composite resin fillings are the better alternative to traditional amalgam fillings. The composite resin is a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with silicon dioxide. These fillings were first used to the front teeth because they were not strong enough to withstand the pressure. But after several years, composites have been significantly improved and can be successfully placed in the back teeth as well.

The dentist begins this procedure by applying a local anesthetic to numb the area of the cavity. He then prepares an access to the decayed area of the tooth and removes the decayed portions. This is accomplished with traditional drills, micro air abrasion or even with a dental laser. With a composite filling, your dentist will preserve more of the natural tooth as the composite resin can be bonded to the tooth in thin layers. If your tooth's decayed area is close to a nerve, a special liner will be used to protect the nerve.

A special dental material is then used to open up the pores of your tooth's dentin and roughens up the surface of the exposed enamel. This achieves better and stronger bond. The bond resin is applied to stick the composite to your tooth. This material is made of the same dental resin as the composite however it is much more fluid. This layer is then hardened and cured with a very bright light.

Composite resin fillings are applied in thin layers, and slowly built up to form the complete filling. A bright dental light will harden each layer before the next is applied. Once your filling is completed, the dentist will use a special paper to adjust the height of patient’s dental filling and for the bite to remain correct. After the procedure, the tooth is then polished.

Esthetics is the main advantage of composite resin fillings since dentists can blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.

Along with the higher cost and the extra placement time, the patient can experience some postoperative sensitivity. Also, the shade of the composite can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee or other staining foods. A clear plastic coating may be placed over the composite to prevent the color from changing if a patient is particularly concerned with the tooth color. Another slight drawback of composites is its tendency to wear out sooner than silver fillings in larger cavities, although they hold up as well in small cavities.