|
White (Tooth Coloured) Fillings by Liverpool Dentist HX Dental
1) Introduction to White Fillings
2) What materials are used for White and Tooth Coloured Fillings?
3) Where can White Fillings be used?
4) What is bonding?
5) What are the advantages of white fillings?
6) How much do white fillings cost?
Introduction to White Fillings
Are you fed up with a mouth full of silver/black
fillings which look unsightly when you open your mouth? If so then
consider changing them to white, or more accurately, tooth coloured
fillings.
White fillings have been with us for a surprisingly
long time now. Originally they took the form of silicate type materials.
These initial materials had limited use in the mouth and were only
rarely used. Today they have been developed many times over to produce
materials which now can match the various strengths and characteristics
of a natural tooth. This means they have much greater use in modern
dentistry.
What materials are used for white and tooth coloured fillings?
There are several different types of white
filling materials. The most common three are;
Composite – This is the
most commonly used material as it a very aesthetic, and comes in
many shades to match to your teeth. It has been developed into a
very strong material and can be used in pretty much any tooth.
Glass ionomer – This has
different properties to composite. Generally it is not considered
to be as good aesthetically as composite. However it contains fluoride
which spreads into the tooth it is repairing. This makes it ideals
for filling the roots of teeth and also children’s teeth.
Porcelain – Porcelain can
be an excellent choice for repairing large cavities in back teeth
as it is a very hard material. It too can be easily colour matched
for the best appearance. This type of filling is called an Inlay.
Where can they be used?
White fillings have been placed in front teeth
for decades now. There used to be question marks over whether they
were strong enough to be used in back teeth. However the materials
have now been developed such that even the largest of fillings on
back teeth can usually be restored with composite.
What is bonding?
“Bonding” is really an American expression
which refers to the use of white filling materials to correct unsightly
front teeth.
Basically the material is matched very closely to the colour of
the teeth and is bonded on to them to correct minor irregularities
in their appearance. Very good results can be achieved in a single
visit, and often no preparation of the teeth is required.
What are the advantages of white fillings?
The obvious advantage is the appearance; the tooth
will actually look like a natural tooth after it has been filled.
Quite often is almost impossible to tell the tooth even has a filling
in it. Please see our picture galleries for examples of this.
Other less obvious advantages are that the material
is bonded to the tooth, meaning less destructive preparation of
the cavity. Also teeth with bonded fillings are less likely to form
stress fractures in the future.
It is also well known that white fillings do not
contain mercury like silver amalgam fillings do.
How much do White Fillings cost?
Composite and Glass Ionomer fillings cost from
£40 to £80
Porcelain Inlays cost from £200.
|
