Amalgam restorations, most widely known as silver fillings, are a safe and strong material that has been used for many years. They are less expensive than other types of filling material and are a very durable material, even in large restorations.

Composite resin restorations are a type of white filling that can be used as an alternative to amalgam restorations. Dental composites are composed of a resin matrix and hard glass filler particles. These fillings are more visually pleasing than an amalgam filling as they are designed to mimic the colour of a natural tooth, and they have the advantage of bonding to tooth structure. They work well on front teeth and as small conservative tooth fillings on molar teeth. In situations when fillings get quite large or deep, particularly on molar teeth, composite resin may not be suitable to use as they wear out more rapidly and may need to be replaced earlier than other types of filling material. They take longer to place than amalgam fillings due to a more complicated technique, and are generally more expensive than amalgam restorations.

Inlays are a type of filling that were originally made of gold. Nowadays they are made of porcelain and ceramic materials. They are designed to be used on moderately broken teeth and in situations where strength is needed to survive in areas where the forces of chewing and grinding are high. An Onlay is a similar type of filling that covers and replaces more of the tooth for even greater protection or where more of the original tooth has already been lost.

Traditionally the treatment involved to provide inlays and onlays takes two appointments, as the fillings have to be constructed in a laboratory first and then they are fitted and adhesively cemented at the second appointment.

Milled ceramic restorations (e.g. CEREC) are a new type of tooth-coloured, all ceramic restorative material. This technology is generally used for constructing high quality ceramic Inlays and Onlays, but the technology can also be used to makes crowns and veneers. Using the latest Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) technology, large restorations can be provided in a single visit in many cases. Ceramic inlays and onlays are very successful due to their high strength compared to conventional filling materials. The ceramic material closely mimics the properties of natural tooth structure. This not only makes them durable and long lasting but helps enhances their ability to match the colour of natural teeth. These are a great alternative to a gold crown in many situations.

Your BOH dentist will advise you which material is best suited to a particular tooth that requires restoration.