The most popular kind of 'white filling' is called a Composite filling. It is made up of a composite quartz resin (glass and porcelain) and usually contains some sort of light sensitive agent that is used during curing. They are an attractive, durable alternative to silver (amalgam) fillings. In the past, white fillings were placed only on front teeth, but recently these composite materials have been specifically designed to be able to survive the pressure of grinding when you chew. These light cured composites are best looking and in most cases they can be inserted in one appointment.
Porcelain inlay or onlay
This is used when cosmetics and wear resistance is most important for a patients. A porcelain inlay or onlay is used when the cavity is too big for a filling, but isn't so big that a crown is required. An inlay is a filling within the cusp tips of the tooth. Onlays (also known as overlays) will overlay one or more cusps in order to protect and strengthen the tooth. This type of filling costs about the same as an indirect composite inlay/onlay and takes two visits. |