Dental fillings, inlays and onlays can protect and restore your teeth. A dental filling replaces decay in your tooth and restores the tooth’s health. However, the filling does not mean that decay can’t return to the tooth. While a dental filling is placed inside the tooth, inlays and onlays are placed on top of a tooth. Dental fillings When you visit Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros team for a check-up, they will check the internal and external health of your teeth. If decay is found in a tooth, your dentist may recommend a dental filling. Amalgam (silver) fillings v white (composite) fillings Back in the day, the main filling material was amalgam, a mix of silver and mercury. It has good wear resistance and can last a lifetime. The issue with these amalgam fillings was just too much tooth had to be removed for the filling to be packed and placed with sufficient volume for strength. Although the amalgam lasted a long time the tooth was significantly damaged in the preparation process. Other issues included: The decay could occur beneath the amalgam filling. The filling would contract and expand with variations in temperature. Amalgam fillings could crack a tooth with continual slow setting expansion. Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros only offer white fillings Due to the questionable nature of amalgam fillings, and their unsightly appearance, we only offer white fillings. These fillings are better for you, and for your teeth. Inlays and onlays Inlays and onlays provide more coverage and protection than a dental a filling. And they are a more conservative than a dental crown. An inlay covers the chewing surface of a tooth between cusps of a teeth. An onlay covers one or more fractures tooth cusps. Materials used for inlays and onlays There are different materials available for inlays and onlays including composite, metal, and gold. Each material has its pros and cons—when you visit Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros one of our dentists can discuss your options with you. Your oral health needs, and your aesthetic preferences, will help to determine which material is used. Treatment process for inlays and onlays At Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros an inlay or only can be made in one appointment with 3Shape TRIOS technology, after the initial consultation. At the appointment a digital impression is taken of the tooth with an intra-oral scanner before and after tooth preparation. After the digital scan our in-house lab will get to work on creating your permanent restoration in the one visit. The restoration is milled from ceramic, hand finished and bonded to your tooth in one visit. Dental fillings, inlays and onlays by Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros We offer a range of treatments to help you restore and protect your smile. Dental fillings, inlays and onlays are an effective method of protecting your teeth from further decay and damage. If you would like to know more about these treatments, or to request an appointment, please contact us today. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.