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White Fillings and Bonding

The new white fillings and bondings are wonders of modern dental science. There are many advantages to white fillings which are known as bonding when used in cosmetic dentistry. These ceramic/porcelain/resin fillings have opened up many new possibilities in the practice of dentistry. It has been a giant leap foreword. For clarity as you look at this information, a white filling and bonding a really the same thing. All white fillings are attached to the tooth by a bonding process. The word bonding is a term sometimes used for a white filling on a front tooth to restore the tooth or improve it's appearance.

White Fillings can be put in by dentist Dr Allan Melnick in Encino, CA
Metal-Based Fillings
compared to
White Fillings
White Fillings can be put in by dentist Dr Allan Melnick in Encino, CA
Now considered the gold standard state of the art restoration, white fillings eliminate virtually all the problems of the old mercury/silver filling. For the last 160 years these obsolete fillings were used and are still in use to this day. While they did much good in the past, their time is now over. It is hard to believe that the fillings are still used on a daily basis in some Encino dental offices.

That said we now have dramatically improved options to offer to our patients. Today's advanced research and development has given us a white filling composed of high tech ceramics, porcelains and resins that fall in the sub-micron particles range. The resin acts as a binder to hold the particles together and also allows bonding to the tooth. This advanced resin contains light-sensitive agents that fully harden the fillings when exposed to a very strong blue light. The hardening process only takes a few moments. This means that the filling is ready to use when one leaves the office.

It is also important for the dentist to use the material best suited for the situation. A part of the selection factors are based on whether durability or esthetics is the prime consideration. Color and translucency can also be varied to create a beautiful match to the tooth. Beyond the standard colors, a dentist with a good sense of color can blend various shades to produce custom colors.

At the same time as white fillings were developed about 40 years ago, a process to bond these fillings to the tooth enamel was invented. At first only the tooth enamel could be bonded. Now the inner layer of the tooth, called dentin, can also be strongly bonded so as to provide added strength. The bond strengths are now greater than the strength of the tooth itself. It has been found that during testing the tooth will break before the bond releases.This great strength of the bond holds the tooth together and the filling in place.

There are many choices for today's dentist. Here in Encino, we carefully select the best products from around the world. The U.S., Japan, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and Australia are now placing products on the market. New products appear constantly. For example, we are now on the 6th generation of bonding agents and number seven is about to be introduced.

Dr. Melnick is cautious in adopting new product, and carefully evaluates each newly introduced material. He is convinced that the manufacturers reports and claims are useless if not misleading, so he prefers to wait for independent studies, reports of other clinical dentists and the "the test of time". Most manufacturers cleverly employ attractive young ladies to convince the dentist how wonderful their new product is. Dr. Melnick does not let this ploy influence him and always puts his patient's interests first. What a guy!

There are many advantages to using the bonded porcelain/ceramic/resins fillings and of course some disadvantages. The summary below lists the important ones.

  • White bonded fillings hold the tooth together and strengthen it.
  • The filling can be match to the surrounding tooth for very good appearance.
  • These restorations will not darken the tooth as seen when mercury/silver fillings are used.
  • White fillings can be used immediately since they are fully hardened in the office.
  • These fillings contain no mercury or any other substance that is harmful to man
  • White fillings are "green'. They send no pollutants into the environment
  • Since they are non metallic they are less sensitive to hot and cold.
  • They require less tooth removal to place and restore the tooth.
  • Today's materials have good wear and breakage resistance and usually last many years.
Disadvantages:
  • The process is complex and must be done very carefully by a dentist well experienced in their use for the process to work.
  • Since they require more time and expertise white fillings are somewhat more expensive.

"My smile is now better than I ever hoped for. I find myself smiling all the time. My decision to have all my old metal fillings removed was certainly the right one for me. Thanks for my great new smile. I love it."

Jack Marden, Teacher, North Hills