Did you know there are as many types of dental fillings as there are days in the week? Ok, maybe that’s an exaggeration. Still, when you visit the dentist with a cavity, there are many filling options. Most of us just sit in the chair, open our mouths, and let the dentist work his or her magic. But have you ever stopped to consider what the dentist is filling and restoring your decayed or broken tooth with?
Five types of dental filling materials
There are five basic kinds of dental filing material. The dentist decides which type to use based on the extent of the decay and the amount of sound tooth remaining.
- Dental amalgam, or silver fillings, have been used to fill cavities for more than 150 years. Dental amalgam is the most common type of dental filling. It’s strong, durable, and less expensive than other types but does not match tooth colour.
- Composite fillings, or white fillings, are popular because the colour matches the rest of your teeth. Composite fillings are a combination of resin and plastic. They look better than silver fillings, but are also less durable and will be a little more expensive than amalgam.
- Ceramic fillings are very durable and tooth-coloured, but they are more expensive. They are made of porcelain and have been shown to be resistant to staining.
- Glass ionomers are often used on children whose teeth are still changing. Constructed from glass and acrylic, glass ionomers are designed to last fewer than five years. The benefit of these dental fillings is that they release fluoride, which protects the changing tooth from further decay.
- Unless you’re a rapper or movie star, gold fillings aren’t common. While a gold filling is durable, non-corrosive, and can last more than 15 years, it not only takes more than one dental visit to place, but, as you can imagine, it is relatively expensive.
