Tooth-Colored (Resin) Fillings

Tooth-colored (resin) fillings, or composite fillings, are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin medium that produces a tooth-colored filling. They are sometimes referred to as composite or filled resins. Composite fillings provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small-to-midsize restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure. Less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth, and this may result in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam. Composites can also be "bonded" or adhesively held in a cavity, often allowing the dentist to make more conservative repair to the tooth.