Composite Fillings – Amalgam free

Tooth-coloured fillings, also known as composite fillings, are a type of dental filling made from a blend of plastic and glass materials. They are designed to match the natural colour of your teeth, making them less noticeable compared to traditional silver (amalgam) fillings. Tooth-coloured fillings are commonly used for cavities in the front teeth or visible areas because of their aesthetic appeal. Here at Witney Dental we use composite for almost all our fillings, we are proudly an amalgam free practice.

The procedure involves:

• Cleaning the cavity and removing any decayed tissue.

• Isolation, using techniques such as rubber dam to ensure the environment is free from contamination.

• Etching the surface of the tooth to prepare the tooth surface for the filling.

• Bonding, using advanced materials to ensure the restoration lasts.

• Applying the composite resin in layers, which is then hardened using a special curing light.

• Shaping the filling to fit the tooth’s natural contours and polishing it to blend with the surrounding tooth enamel.

Benefits of tooth-coloured fillings include:

• Aesthetic appeal (blends in with natural teeth).

• They bond directly to the tooth structure, providing strength.

• Less removal of healthy tooth structure is needed compared to amalgam fillings.

An example of an amalgam filling replaced with a composite filling: