Dental materials that are appropriate for your situation.
Dental fillings are normally used only when the substance of the tooth has been destroyed by decay (caries), trauma or overstress, such as teeth grinding. Dental fillings are meant to remedy the resulting damage or cavities, and to achieve again a healthy chewing function.
Several materials are available for this kind of treatment. Hereafter a short overview of these:
Amalgam fillings
It has been proven that these are toxic, and they are not allowed anymore for use in children and pregnant women. Nevertheless, they are the first choice in case of a covering by medical insurance, as amalgam fillings are the most inexpensive compared to the other variants. Amalgam is a metal alloy consisting of about 50% mercury, that can accumulate in the body. This is the reason why we never use amalgam in our dentist’s office.
Ceramic fillings
Heavy-duty ceramics are extremely hard and do no differ visually from your natural tooth enamel. Given their great resilience, ceramics are also used as so-called inlays in the lateral tooth area, where a greater chewing pressure occurs.
The material is very durable, it has a great biocompatibility and is not likely to stain. Its preparation is expensive and requires a lot of knowhow. We only work with top laboratories, in order to guarantee a perfect quality.
Composite fillings
Composite fillings consist of a mixture of plastics and ceramics, and they adapt perfectly to the esthetics of your natural teeth. Hence, these fillings are practically invisible. They are therefore optimally appropriate for restorations in the front teeth area.
These fillings are shaped in the mouth, and they are hardened with the help of a UV-lamp. They can be submitted to stress immediately after that.
Gold fillings
Given their material properties, gold fillings are appropriate for the lateral tooth area. Gold fillings are very durable and stress resistant. They are superior to the other filling materials in this specific area. At the same time, gold doesn’t represent an allergy risk.
Gold fillings mostly come at a high price and can alter the oral esthetics due to their high visibility.
