Direct Fillings

The mouth is a harsh place.

Pressure from chewing, grinding or clenching can cause dental fillings (restorations) to wear, chip or crack. Acids dissolve tooth minerals and decay undermines tooth structure and causes cavities which, if left untreated, can progress to the nerve and cause toothache.

All restorations in the mouth have a finite life span. You may not know if your old fillings are wearing down, but your dentist can identify problems during regular check-ups.

The various filling options enable the teeth to be restored to a better shape and function.

Should the restoration be extensive, there may not be enough tooth structure remaining to support a replacement filling. In these cases, your dentist may need to place a crown (see section - Indirect Fillings).

Below you can find multiple examples of fillings which require replacement.

Decayed or worn amalgam (metal) fillings (left) - they have been removed and replaced with composite resin (white filling material) (right)