The purpose of fillings is to restore the tooth after the decay has been removed. Removing the decay prevents the cavity from damaging the tooth further hence preventing the tooth from needing either extraction or root canal treatment.

Westgate Dental Centre in Auckland offers tooth coloured fillings (also called White filling).

 

If you have existing amalgam (metal) fillings, we can remove these and replace them with a completely safe and aesthetically pleasing modern alternative.

 

What is a Composite Resin (White Filling)?

A composite filling is a tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. Composites are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the colour of the teeth or reshaping teeth.

White filling can be colour matched to the exact colour of your natural tooth. This creates an aesthetically pleasing and seamless result.

 

How is a composite placed?

Following preparation, the dentist places the composite in layers, curing each with special light to harden each layer. When the process is finished, the dentist will shape and polish the composite to fit the tooth.

 

What are the advantages of white filling?

Aesthetics are the main advantage of white fillings, since dentists can create a colour nearly identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth meaning that, if placed properly, it seals the tooth completely, preventing leackage and further decay.

 

What are the disadvantages of white filling?

After receiving a composite, a patient may experience temporal sensitivity. Also, the shade of the composite can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee or other staining foods.

White fillings have always been considered less long-lasting than silver amalgam fillings. But there are now new materials available that are comparable to silver amalgam, and these are proving to be very successful. The life expectancy of a white filling can depend greatly on where it is in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. The costs can vary quite a lot from dentist to dentist. They usually depend on the size and type of white filling used and the time it takes to complete the treatment.

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