If you were raised in the 1980s or 90s or before that, you would likely have had an amalgam filling or crown placed in your mouth if you ever needed a restorative.
Amalgam or metal-based restoratives were the standard in dental care for decades, but they
often suffered from issues such as reacting to hot and cold beverages in the mouth. This would cause them to shrink and expand, resulting in damage to the surrounding tooth. Also, if you had decay or damage at the front of your mouth, an amalgam or black filling was not exactly the restoration look you would be going for! So, composite or porcelain fillings and crowns were developed, and surprise, surprise, they were a huge success!
When you come to Wimbledon Dental Care, if we find that you need a restorative fitting or replacement, we will always offer you white fillings Wimbledon. We know first-hand how useful porcelain and composite are in restoration and can assure you that once these fillings or crowns are fitted, they will last a long time and will stand the test of biting into and chewing food with ease.
You may have some concerns about white fillings Wimbledon being more expensive than amalgam ones, or you may simply want to know more. And in this article, our team answers common questions that we are asked about this restoration option.
What are enamel-coloured fillings made from?
White fillings Wimbledon are usually made from composite. However, if you are looking to spend a bit more money, you can have them made from porcelain. You may also be able to have a glass ionomer filling fitted, which is technically a white filling but is a mixture of glass and composite, which is better for a tooth that is suffering from issues relating to fluoride loss.
How are they fitted?
If you’ve ever had an amalgam filling fitted, you’ll be all too familiar with a system that revolves around a small trowel-like object being placed into your mouth and placing the amalgam putty into the hole created by our team after removing the decay. With composite-based fillings, we will still need to remove the decay in the tooth, but then use a device that looks very similar to a glue gun (and even sounds like one!) when it’s being used to apply the composite to the tooth. It is then shaped, and a UV light is used to cure and harden the resin.
How long do they last?
There are many people who have concerns that because these fillings are made of porcelain or composite, they will not last as long as metal ones. However, studies have found that composite or porcelain fillings and crowns actually last longer than metal ones due in part to the fact that they do not react to temperature changes in the mouth.
Do they have any advantages over amalgam ones?
There are many advantages that composite fillings have, with the first and most obvious one being aesthetics. So, if you have a tooth that is near the front of your mouth that needs to have a filling fitted, the porcelain or composite option will not draw any attention. As well as this, they are non-reactive to heat, last longer and actually require less of the tooth to be removed, they also keep as much of your tooth intact as possible.