Resin Composite

The most common restorative material used today to restore a worn, broken, chipped or decayed tooth is a tooth-coloured material called composite resin. Safe, aesthetically pleasing, durable and cost-effective, resin composite technology continues to improve and provide glossy, smooth surfaces that blend well with the remaining tooth structure. They can be almost invisible!

Perhaps the best characteristic of this material is it’s ability to bond to tooth enamel and dentine. This imparts a strength that helps to reduce the incidence of cracking that is commonly associated with the older grey amalgam fillings, which are today very infrequently used.

Erosion, or acid wear, is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue, and can be caused by acidic diets or from acid reflux. As the tooth dentine wears at a faster rate than enamel, cavities can develop in teeth that haven’t been caused by tooth decay. Resin composites allow for conservative repair of these lesions, and can be simply replaced as often as is needed until the acid wear can be controlled.

Ceramic crowns

For teeth that are significantly broken down, or where a restorative material of even greater strength and durability than resin composite can provide is required, ceramic crowns are available. Laboratory made crowns are usually made from a super-strong tooth-coloured material known as Zirconia, but can also be made from glass ceramics that look fantastic, are nearly as strong and can be bonded to teeth in a similar way to resin composites. The superior properties and precision of ceramic restorations come at a higher price, but will often last many years longer than a resin composite restoration.

Gold

With the rise of bonded tooth-coloured restorations, the use of gold as a restoring material has significantly reduced in popularity over the years. However, with an average longevity of 50 years and excellent physical properties, this material remains a suitable choice in certain less visible circumstances, just perhaps not on a front tooth!