Fillings: The Basics
Types Of Fillings
 Amalgam
Composite Resin
Cast Gold
Gold Foil
Ceramics
Glass Ionomer
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Made of: |
Mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc and copper. Mercury is nearly 50 percent of the mixture. |
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Types: |
Taditional (non-bonded), bonded |
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Used for: |
Fillings in back teeth |
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Lasts: |
At least seven years, usually longer |
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Costs: |
The least expensive type of restorative material |
Advantages
 Amalgam fillings are strong and can withstand the forces of chewing.
They are inexpensive and convenient.
The filling can be completed during one dental visit.
Disadvantages
Amalgam doesn't match the color of your teeth.
Healthy parts of your tooth must often be removed to make a space large enough to hold an amalgam filling.
Amalgam fillings can corrode over time, causing discoloration where the filling meets the tooth.
A traditional (non-bonded) amalgam filling does not bond to the tooth. It just sits in a pocket created by your dentist.
Some people may be allergic to mercury or be concerned about its effects, although research shows the amount of mercury exposure from fillings is comparable to what people get from other sources in the environment.
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Made of: |
A mixture of plastic and fine glass particles. |
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Types: |
Direct or indirect |
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Used for: |
Small and large fillings, especially in front teeth or the visible parts of teeth; inlays |
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Lasts: |
At least five years |
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Costs: |
One-third to twice as much as amalgam, but less than gold |
Advantages
Your fillings or inlay will be invisible. Your dentist chooses a resin that matches the color of your teeth.
A filling can be completed during one dental visit. An inlay may require two visits.
Composite fillings can bond directly to the tooth, making the tooth stronger than it would be with an amalgam filling.
Less drilling is involved than with amalgam fillings because your dentist does not have to shape the space as much to hold the filling securely. The bonding process holds the composite resin in the tooth.
Indirect composite fillings and inlays are heat-cured, increasing their strength.
Composite resin can be combined with glass ionomer to provide the benefits of both materials.
Disadvantages
Although composite resins have become stronger and more resistant to wear, it's not clear whether they are strong enough to last as long as amalgam fillings under the pressure of chewing.
These fillings take 10 to 20 minutes longer, or sometimes more, to place than amalgam fillings because each thin layer of the filling must be cured, or hardened, using a visible blue light.
Indirect fillings and inlays take at least two visits to complete. Your dentist takes impressions at the first visit and places the filling or inlay at the second visit.
In large cavities, composites may not last as long as amalgam fillings.
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Made of: |
Gold alloy (gold mixed with other metals) |
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Used for: |
Inlays and onlays, crowns |
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Lasts: |
At least seven years, usually longer |
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Costs: |
More than most other materials; six to 10 times more expensive than amalgam |
Advantages
Gold doesn't corrode.
The gold color is more pleasing to some people than the silver color of amalgam.
Gold fillings are durable enough to withstand chewing forces.
Disadvantages
You must visit the dentist at least twice to receive a gold filling. At the first visit, the dentist makes an impression of your tooth and a temporary filling is placed. The gold filling is made from the impression and is placed at a second visit.
The cost is high because of the high cost of gold and the work involved.
If gold and amalgam fillings are right next to each other in your mouth, an electric current can result from interactions between the metals and your saliva, resulting in sharp pain. This is called "galvanic shock."
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Made of: |
Gold |
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Used for: |
Small fillings in non-stress-bearing areas; repairing crowns |
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Lasts: |
Estimated 10 to 15 years |
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Costs: |
Up to four times as much as amalgam |
Advantages
Gold foil can last a long time.
Disadvantages
Gold foil restorations require great skill and attention to detail by the dentist. Improper placement of gold foil can result in damage to the pulp or periodontal tissues.
Gold foil costs more than amalgam and composite fillings.
It may be difficult to find a dentist who offers gold foil as an option because it is being replaced by other materials that match the color of your teeth.
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Made of: |
Porcelain, most commonly |
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Used for: |
Inlays and onlays, crowns |
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Lasts: |
Five to seven years |
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Costs: |
Can cost as little as composite or as much or more than gold, depending on the restoration. |
Advantages
Ceramics are tooth-colored.
Ceramics are more resistant to staining and abrasion than composite resin.
Disadvantages
Ceramics are more brittle than composite resin.
A ceramic inlay or onlay needs to be substantial in size to prevent breakage, so the tooth must be reduced in size to make room for the extra bulk.
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Made of: |
Acrylic and a component of glass called fluoroaluminosilicate |
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Types: |
Traditional, resin-modified or hybrid composite, metal-reinforced |
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Used for: |
Most commonly used as cementation for gold inlays, but is also used for fillings in front teeth. As filling material, glass ionomer is typically used in people with a lot of decay in the part of the tooth that extends below the gum (root caries). It is also used for filling baby teeth and as a liner for other types of fillings. |
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Lasts: |
Five years or more |
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Costs: |
Comparable to composite resin |
Advantages
Glass ionomer matches the color of the teeth, although it does not always match as precisely as composite resin. Resin-modified glass ionomer is usually a better match than traditional glass ionomer.
In some cases, no drilling is required to place a glass ionomer filling. This makes this type of filling useful for small children.
Glass ionomers release fluoride, which can help protect the tooth from further decay.
Glass ionomer restorations bond to the tooth, helping prevent leakage around the filling and further decay.
Disadvantages
Traditional glass ionomer is significantly weaker than composite resin. It is much more susceptible to wear and prone to fracture.
Traditional glass ionomer does not match your tooth color as precisely as composite resin.
If you are receiving a resin-modified glass ionomer filling, each thin layer needs to be cured, or hardened, with a visible light before the next layer can be added. This makes the tooth stronger, but can lengthen the time of the dental appointment.
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