Composite fillings

As well as providing an effective repair for tooth decay or damage, composite (or white) fillings offer a natural looking alternative to more obvious amalgam fillings. This is because they are made from tooth coloured resin, a mixture of plastic and glass, which blends in with your teeth.

They support the structure of a damaged tooth, helping to prevent further breakage and sensitivity and can be placed in the front or back teeth.

Treatment steps

• The area to be treated is numbed with a local anaesthetic and the decayed area of tooth removed.
• The colour matched shade of composite is applied in layers.
• Each layer is hardened with a special bright light and the resin shaped to provide a functional restoration.

Though considered a less durable method of filling teeth, composite fillings do have more aesthetic appeal and are now made from modern materials which offer improved durability. Their life expectancy will depend on the depth of the cavity to be filled and its position in the mouth.