Composite Fillings
Posterior Composite Restorations
When decay is diagnosed on a tooth, and is less than half of the tooth’s structure, it can be filled with a composite restoration. Composite is a plastic material that is bonded to the tooth’s structure and comes in many shades to match your teeth.
The tooth is numbed using local anesthetic, decay is removed, and a bonding procedure is completed prior to the placement of the composite. Once the composite is placed it is “cured”, or hardened, to its maximum strength.
Once numbness has worn off, composite restorations are completely set and do not have any post-operative restrictions.
Anterior Composite Restorations
Must like posterior composite fillings, anterior composite restorations are used to replace tooth structure of front teeth. This structure can be lost due to decay or trauma.
Composite restorations will stain with time, the rate at which they stain depends heavily on the patient’s diet. Food that might stain a white shirt, will also stain composite. Common examples are wine, berries, and tobacco use.
