Dental Composite, The Good and The Bad

Restorative materials such as amalgam, gold, porcelain, and glass ionomer cements are some of the materials commonly used today as materials used in dental restoration or fillings. Other than amalgam or gold, composite resins have also become effective materials for restoring teeth, particularly in improving the aesthetics of the teeth. According to cosmetic dentistry los angeles centers, synthetic resins evolved as restorative materials because of they are insoluble, aesthetically pleasing, and insensitive to dehydration composition. Another factor for their popularity is their affordability.
Advantages

The main advantage of composite resins over other materials such as amalgam and gold is their tendency to be more aesthetically pleasing. Unlike amalgam, composites can be made in a wide variety of colors allowing composite resins to blend perfectly along with other teeth. The discovery of acid etching (producing enamel irregularities ranging from 5-30 micrometers in depth) of teeth to allow a micromechanical bond to the tooth allows good adhesion of the restoration to the tooth. This means that unlike silver filling, there is no need for the dentist to create retentive features destroying healthy tooth.
Disadvantages

The downside to composite resins when compared to amalgam, according to cosmetic dentistry los angeles centers, is a shorter lifespan of the filling, and the high likelihood of requiring root canal therapy if the failure of the filling is not caught quickly. Amalgam fillings may crack a portion of the tooth off, but otherwise tend to fail at a much slower rate.

Methods of Application

Unlike amalgam, dental composite resins can be used for both direct and indirect restoration. Placing direct dental composites on teeth are performed by licensed dentists in a clinical setting . This is usually accomplished with a handheld curing light that emits specific wavelengths keyed to the initiator and catalyst packages involved.
Direct dental composites can be used for:

*Filling gaps (diastemas) between teeth using a shell-like veneer or
*Minor reshaping of teeth
*Partial crowns on single teeth

Indirect dental composites done by cosmetic dentistry los angeles centers is cured outside the mouth. This is usually done in a processing unit that is capable of delivering higher intensities and levels of energy than handheld lights can. Indirect composites have been known to have higher filler levels, and are cured for longer times. As a result, they have higher levels and depths of cure than directly applied composites.
Indirect dental composites can be used for:

*Filling cavities in teeth, as fillings, inlays and/or onlays
*Filling gaps (diastemas) between teeth using a shell-like veneer or
*Reshaping of teeth
*Full or partial crowns on single teeth
*And even bridges spanning 2-3 teeth