Composite (White) Fillings

For those of us with dental work who like to talk, laugh or smile, a silver tooth filling shows the world where we could have taken better care of our teeth. But what if there was a way to hide the fact that you even had any cavities in the first place?

Composite resin is a filling material designed for aesthetic dental restorations. Formulated to resemble the color of your natural tooth, composite resin is often used for filling dental cavities or for dental bonding front teeth.

Composite resin consists of glass or quartz filler added to a resin medium, which produces a tooth-colored filling. The invention of composite resin offers a substitute to the amalgam dental fillings we’ve grown so accustomed to. This plastic and glass mixture contains no metal and can be shaped to resemble a real tooth. Onlookers usually can’t tell that a tooth has even been filled!

For years, amalgam was the only option for filling teeth. Those who wanted natural-looking restorations had to opt for more expensive cosmetic treatments, such as a dental crown. Composite resin enables dentists to cosmetically treat dental cavities without using invasive procedures.

Although composite resin has only recently gained popularity, white fillings were originally introduced in the 60s. At that time, composite consisted of a different material, and was not sturdy enough to be used on back teeth.

The first composite fillings tended to wear down easily, subjecting the tooth to even more tooth decay or breakage. It has taken years of development for scientists to find the right mixture of composite resin and justify it as a safe, effective filling material.