White Composite Fillings

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White composite dental tooth fillings were hugely advanced in the 1990’s, being changed from a leaking, ineffective filling to something that now is very popular, and a highly efficient way of filling cavities. 

White Composite Fillings Procedure

• Your dentist will complete a full oral examination and take your dental history.
• Radiographs (X-rays) will be taken to ensure that having a white composite filling is the right thing for you. 
• Depending on the size of your cavity you will either have a local anaesthetic and a drill will be used, or you will have air abrasion performed to the tooth.  When having a composite filling it is preferable to have air abrasion as this helps to keep the tooth being treated free from moisture as air is continuously blasted at it. 
• The tooth will be cleaned and the cavity cleared of all dead or decaying matter.  This will either occur through drilling or through tooth stain removal using air abrasion
• The tooth will need to be kept free from moisture as the synthetic material is inserted into the cavity. 
• A bright light is often used to harden the material once it has filled the cavity. 
• The filling is finished and made smooth.  Once this occurs you can start to use the filling straight away.

White Composite Fillings Advantages

• They are white!  This might sound very basic but there is no way anyone will notice them once within your mouth, making them suitable for any tooth.
• Only a small amount of your healthy tooth is removed before a composite filling is applied.  This means less chance of any fracturing or chipping of the teeth, and ensures that the structure of the tooth is a lot more naturally strong. 
• You can use your fillings immediately after they have been placed in your tooth.  Composite fillings are usually light cured – using a bright light to harden the mixture so it sets within your tooth. 
• They can be bonded, or joined, to your tooth very effectively and once they are the teeth is often stronger than it was before. 

White Composite Fillings Disadvantages

• They are generally more expensive than amalgam fillings due to the amount of time it takes to insert and properly place the filling.
• They are less durable, lasting only about five years, although the more they are advanced the stronger they are getting.
• If too much composite is used and it is not properly applied then it can cause damage to the nerve ends within the tooth and increased tooth sensitivity.

There is more chance of decay to the tooth and to the filling if a white composite filling is used but not placed properly. 

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