| Tooth-colored fillings and inlays replace the gold and
silver of the past with natural looking materials.
In the 1970's, "white fillings" came into common
use. These "tooth-colored fillings" were made
of a plastic dental resin filled with microscopic filler
particles and were called composites. When dental composites
were first introduced, they could only be used in the
front teeth, because they weren't strong enough to withstand
the chewing pressure of the back teeth (in excess of 40,000
pounds per square inch).
The composites of today have been vastly improved over
the ones developed nearly forty years ago. They are strong,
durable, and attractive. In 1999, the American Dental
Association gave white fillings its seal of approval and
now many insurance plans cover their use. |