Dental Clinic Bangkok, Thailand.

Composite fillings are the newest type of filling in common usage. They are commonly known as white fillings. They are a porcelain/plastic hybrid that is bonded directly to the cavity preparation. Composite fillings were created as an alternative to traditional metal dental fillings. They are colored to look like natural teeth and are more esthetically pleasing than amalgam or gold fillings. They are also strong, durable, and make for a very natural looking smile.

From a cost standpoint, this tooth colored restoration is closest to silver amalgam, but composite resin restorations must be places nearly perfectly to provide adequate service. They can compete with silver amalgam in small to moderate size tooth defects. Many new materials now make these restorations much better than in the past. These are the most common restorations for front teeth.

Your dentist will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area before preparing an access to the decayed area of the tooth and removing the decayed portions. Traditional drills, micro air abrasion or even with a dental laser can be used to accomplish this.

A special dental material is then used to open up the pores of your tooth's dentin and roughens up the surface of the exposed enamel. This creates a stronger bond between the tooth and the filling. The bond resin is applied to stick the composite to your tooth. This material is made of the same dental resin as the composite however it is much more fluid.

With a composite filling, your dentist will be able to preserve more of the natural tooth as the composite resin can be bonded to the tooth in thin layers and slowly built up to form a complete filling. A bright dental light will harden each layer before the next is applied.

If the decayed area of your tooth is close to a nerve, a special liner can be used to protect the nerve. A special dental material is then used to open up the pores of your tooth's dentin and roughens up the surface of the exposed enamel. This creates a stronger bond between the tooth and the filling. The bond resin is applied to stick the composite to your tooth. This material is made of the same dental resin as the composite however it is much more fluid. This layer is then hardened by the bright light in the same way as the composite layers.

Once your filling is completed, your dentist will use a special articulating paper, to adjust the height of your dental filling and to ensure that your bite remains correct. Your tooth is then polished.

If such a filling is not going to be enough to protect your damaged tooth, or if your tooth enamel is thin and will easily fracture, or if your tooth has had a root canal that weakened your tooth condition, your tooth may require additional protection such as a crown.

It is important to discuss this procedure with our dentist as there are several personal and medical factors to take into consideration. You may also have the option of dental bridges or dental implants.