What are Fillings, exactly?

Fillings are a type of dental restoration used to repair a tooth damaged by decay (caries). It is common for a tooth to have decay but not cause any sensitivity or discomfort. Teeth pain is like having chest pain when you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, if it hurts it might be too late (think crowns, root canal or extraction).

Different Types of Filling Materials:

There are three types of filling materials in common use today: (Composite (White), Amalgam (silver) & Gold). Each has different preparation requirements. Here at Bannerwood you get three choices, Silver; White; or let me pick what is going to last you the longest.

–Composites: are a tooth colored resin which is light cured after placement. We match the color to your tooth’s color.

–Amalgam: is a metallic gray, silver & mercury alloy which hardens or cures overtime after placement.  There have been concerns about mercury fillings, especially on the internet.  I let you the patient make an informed decision about amalgam:.
– Here is the statement by the American Dental Association.  
– Here is the FDA statement.
– Here are other organizations concerns about amalgam.
– Here is the journal literature review.
– Here is the straight talk.

–Gold: Will be your best option. Here is link information about Gold, with examples.

The following are examples of the different fillings.