Our Treatments
Fillings
WHITE FILLINGS
Fillings are the most common type of ‘restorative treatment’. A filling replaces the part of the tooth that has been lost because decay has caused a cavity in the tooth or because the tooth has broken. One option in restoring the tooth is to have a white filling, commonly known as a ‘Composite Filling’.
Many people have fillings, the majority being grey metal called ‘Amalgam’. Fillings do not just have to be practical, they can also be aesthetically pleasing and thus many patients no longer
Many people have fillings, the majority being grey metal called ‘Amalgam’. Fillings do not just have to be practical, they can also be aesthetically pleasing and thus many patients no longer
have the desire for amalgam fillings because they are visible : with most white fillings, no-one would know it was there.
Composites are referred to as white fillings. Composite is a tooth coloured material composed of glass particles suspended in a resin matrix. It is available in several shades to perfectly match your tooth.Composites are bonded directly to your tooth which can help to support the remaining tooth structure.
Composites can be used for a variety of cosmetic dental procedures –
- Repairing chipped or broken teeth
- Closing gaps between your teeth (diastemas)
- Reshaping your teeth
Composite is not ideal for all restorations on back teeth especially if you have a large cavity, as bonding does not have the strength over large areas or if you have a heavy bite, grind or clench your teeth. The alternative tooth coloured restoration then would be an inlay or onlay.
SILVER FILLINGS
Fillings are the most common type of 'restorative treatment'. A filling replaces the part of the tooth that has been lost either because decay has caused a cavity in the tooth or because the tooth has broken. One option in restoring the tooth is to have an Amalgam filling however with high quality tooth coloured fillings available, amalgam usage is now declining.
Amalgam - Sometimes referred to as a silver filling. This is an alloy which is made up using Mercury, Silver, Tin, Copper and Zinc. It is extremely durable and able to withstand the grinding and chewing of the molar teeth over long periods of time.
They are less expensive than white fillings.
The disadvantages
They look unattractive in the tooth due to its colour.Some people are concerned about the mercury content; please discuss this with your dentist.The colouring leaches into the dentinal tubules inside the tooth, leaving a permanent blue-gray halo that bleaching cannot remove.
FISSURE SEALANT
Fissure sealant is a tooth coloured liquid which is applied on the chewing surface of adult molar teeth to prevent cavities from forming in early years. Once applied the coating is permanent, and will stay on your teeth for a number of years.
Why do I need fissure sealants?
Your back teeth are known as premolars and molars and have pits and grooves on the biting surface, some of which can be deep and difficult to keep clean with brushing. Food particles can become trapped and this creates a perfect breeding ground for plaque bacteria which if left, will generate cavities. Fissure sealants work by filling the deep pits and grooves making it easier to clean your teeth and thus helping to prevent cavities from forming.
The Procedure
The teeth which the sealants are being placed on will be cleaned and dried.The chewing surface of the tooth will be prepared to accept the Fissure SealantThe Fissure Sealant is applied to the tooth using a small brush and then hardened by concentrated beam of ultraviolet light