What is a composite (tooth colored) restoration?
Composite resins have mainly been used on the front teeth, where a silver filling would be noticeable; however, the dental industry has been steadily moving towards using the composite more often. Thanks to advances in modern dental materials and techniques, teeth can now be restored with more aesthetic and natural appearing filling materials. Increasingly, these fillings are now also being used on the back teeth. Even though these fillings have the advantage of being the color of the teeth, they are more expensive than silver amalgam and may not last as long on surfaces exposed to heavy chewing forces. These tooth colored fillings are made up of a composite quartz resin and contain a light sensitive agent. The materials come in a variety of shades so that they will match the color of your own teeth. Composite materials are now available that have been specifically designed to withstand the incredible forces you can exert when chewing on your back teeth. After placement, composites are
