White fillings; why they are popular from our dentist

Since they were invented, fillings have helped to restore millions of teeth worldwide.

Teeth that have been weakened by decay, damage or genetic issues have been saved by the placement of amalgam fillings and crowns over the years. But with these restoratives came a set of secondary complications, due in part to the material that they are made from.

Luckily, as dental techniques have advanced, dental teams have found other ways to restore teeth that have been damaged, without the drawbacks that accompany metal.

At Buttercup 7 Day Dental, our Glasgow dentist West End has been able to help rebuild smiles and mouth function using white or composite fillings.

Here, our Glasgow dentist West End explores why composite fillings have become so popular and why they are now the go-to response for dental teams everywhere. So, read on and enjoy!

Aesthetics

First things first, amalgam fillings are far from discreet.

Many patients who have had fillings that have been made from metal or similar materials have reported feeling self-conscious when they laugh in front of friends or have to open their mouths very wide.

So an obvious reason why our Glasgow dentist West End prefers composite fillings is to do with the aesthetics that they offer. A composite material can be colour matched to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding tooth, meaning that once the filling is fitted, you won’t be able to see the difference. It is also malleable, so if our team has to fit the filling into the centre of a molar tooth, we can shape it to fit the tooth perfectly, once again allowing it to blend in.

Support

How can composite material be more supportive than metal?

Well, in theory, both materials are equally strong but the application of them to the tooth is very different.

To make room for an amalgam filling, more of the tooth has to be removed and so, once we have scraped away all of the decay, we would need to remove more of the healthy tooth to fit a metal filling. With composite, we can leave more of the healthy tooth intact, meaning that composite fillings, in general, offer more support to your teeth.

Durable

As above, you may be wondering how a composite material can be more durable than metal.

Well, composite has been found in clinical studies (and in real life) to be equally as strong as metal, allowing it to be used across the mouth for restorative purposes. It is less likely to crack and chip than metal too and does not respond to the pressures of the mouth in the same way.

Expansion

What pressures of the mouth you ask?

Well, in daily life, people drink hot and cold beverages, such as tea and coffee.

And any metal-based filling will react to this with expansion and contraction. A filling that expands can cause the surrounding tooth to crack and chip, meaning decay has a higher chance of recurring along with abscesses. If the metal contracts, you have a higher chance of losing the filling altogether.

Composite does not respond this way to temperature variations, meaning that your filling will last for longer than an amalgam alternative.