Compound dental fillings are used to repair teeth after caries removal or because a tooth is worn, chipped or fractured. It is a dental restorative material used to repair a tooth’s structure to recover the integrity and morphology of the patient’s bite.
They are composed of either ceramic or plastic for dental use. It has a much more natural and aesthetic appearance, since it is placed the one that most closely resembles the color of the tooth which is being repaired, so it is preferred by most patients.
Types of compound dental fillings
Two types of these fillings exist in the market:
Direct Dental Filling
It is a pre-prepared resin of which should be used one of an equal or fairly similar color tone to the tooth being restored or repaired.
Indirect Dental Filling
In this case, the dentist will use a dental porcelain inlay. This technique is usually used to repair those teeth in the back of the mouth. You should know that this procedure may require two visits to the dentist, as the porcelain piece must be manufactured previously in a laboratory to ensure its strength and durability, later it has to be embedded into the tooth.
Compound dental fillings advantages
Amongst the advantages of applying compound dental filling, the following can be found:
- They are more aesthetic since they’re invisible
- The oral function will not be affected because these dental pieces offer very good support for it.
- They are very resistant to vary food temperatures
- They own a high endurance feature.
- They are versatile since can be used to repair any kind of chipped, broken, or affected tooth.
- They have easy adherence, so they stick very well to the tooth surface and help preserve as much as possible the tooth structure since the lathe does not have to be used too much.
Compound Dental Fillings disadvantages
Regarding the compound dental fillings disadvantages we can mention:
- More time is needed for its installation despite other kind of dental fillings.
- Sometimes, these dental fillings have to be replaced more frequently because, after 5-6 years after the installation, they tend to fracture or crack.
Compound dental fillings maintenance
To guarantee the durability of these compound fillings, it is recommended to:
- Maintain an eye for proper oral hygiene. Including brushing, flossing, and rinsing 3-5 times during the day.
- It is also recommended to improve your eating habits: reducing the consumption of coffee, soda drinks, wine, tea, sugar, and acids.
- Do not bite down on anything hard that could damage the tooth with compound dental fillings.
- Decrease or eliminate smoking
Compound Fillings Vs Amalgams
The amalgams can be identified by their silver color. They are used to repair teeth in the back of the patient’s mouth. They are made from a mixture of mercury, silver, tin, and copper.
Some dentists prefer amalgams since they are easier to handle, much stronger, and cheaper. For the latter two reasons some patients also prefer amalgams.