 Tooth Bonding/ White
Fillings
What is dental
bonding?
Dental bonding is a
treatment which can be used to repair cavities in a
tooth, fill in spaces between teeth, cover sensitive
roots, alter the size and shape of a tooth.
Teeth become weakened
due to tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when acid from
bacteria in the mouth soften and weaken the tooth
structure. Tooth decay is an irreversible process in
which the affected tooth structure must be cleaned and prepared
for a filling. There are two major types
filling materials that can be used, either white or
silver.
Types of dental
fillings.
White
Fillings-
(Composite) - Closely resembles the natural tooth
structure. Composite is a
material used for both anterior and posterior
restorations. Due to the improvement in the strength,
lack of sensitivity and great aesthetics of this
material, it is used almost exclusively and is
preferred by most patients.
The composite material
is composed of silica (ground glass), and acrylic
fibers to achieve superior strength. It comes in a
variety of shades so it could be matched to the tooth
color to get a perfect restoration. The material is
initially soft so the doctor can shape the material to
bring the tooth back to its original anatomy. It is
then bonded by using a curing light which cures the
composite material to its solid state. Then it
is trimmed and polished to look like its natural
appearance. White fillings when done correctly are
almost undetectable to the untrained eye and appear
very natural. We use a plethora of filling shades to
best match the color of the filling to your existing
tooth.
Silver or Amalgam
Fillings -
Silver fillings are a type of dental filling that is
packed into the tooth by the dentist. Silver fillings
are silver or gray in color. Certain teeth and
situations call for this type of filling. It has been
around for many years and still finds uses in
dentistry today. The advantage of this type of filling
is that it can be placed under wet conditions. Its
main disadvantage is that it doesn't stick or adhere
to the tooth like a white filling.
The Procedure
First the decayed or
weakened tooth structure is removed by the dentist.
Next an etching solution which accentuates the natural
tiny gaps within the tooth enamel/dentin structure.
The tiny gaps or cracks create slight roughness to the
surface of the tooth, allowing the composite resin to
bond to the tooth. Once the material is placed it is
then shaped and contoured to look as close to natural
tooth anatomy as possible then bonded by a curing
light. Once the tooth is bonded, we use marking paper
to show us where the filling is touching other teeth
and adjust the patients bite back to normal if
necessary.
Bonding Gallery
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