Restorative Dentistry

What types of filling materials are there?

Fillings can be silver fillings (amalgam) or tooth colored (composite).

Amalgam fillings have the advantage of durability and longevity. Its obvious disadvantage is its silver color.

Composite fillings have high cosmetic appeal, due to their ability to blend in with the surrounding tooth structure. Over time, however, the edges (margins) of the composite filling can begin to break down and start to stain and become dark.

Which types of fillings do you offer?

Our office places composite resin (tooth colored) fillings. We do not offer amalgam (silver) fillings.

What materials are crowns made from?

Crowns and bridges can be made from gold, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), and all ceramic materials.

Despite its lack of esthetics, gold is the best restorative material due to its high biocompatiility. A gold crown will also have the best adaptation and fit with the underlying tooth structure.

PFM has increased esthetics over gold, as the outer layer of a PFM crown is porcelain. There can be some gray, dark color noticeable near the gumline of a PFM crown, however. This is the result of the underlying metal of the PFM crown.

All ceramic crowns have the highest cosmetic potential, looking the most lifelike of all the restorative materials. Ceramics must be handled by a master ceramist in order to balance cosmetics with strength and durability.

What dictates whether a filling, crown, or bridge is needed?

Fillings are placed when enough tooth structure remains intact, while a crown is placed when the remaining tooth structure is too compromised to continue to stand alone. A bridge replaces missing teeth, and anchors off of the teeth on both sides of the open (missing tooth) space.