Plastic fillings
Resins for teeth are also called composites and are tooth-colored plastic filling materials. They consist of an inorganic plastic matrix mixed with inorganic filling particles. They are attached using a bonding agent/adhesive (bonding).
Processing
When working with resin, it is important to dry the tooth as completely as possible, which can be achieved by using cotton rolls or by applying a rubber dam. If moisture reaches the teeth during the filling process, adhesion may be lost. The resin is cured in several layers. Therefore, placing a resin filling may take longer than placing an amalgam filling.
Advantages over amalgam fillings
By carefully selecting the color and polishing the fillings well, the missing part of the tooth can be restored to an almost lifelike appearance. In contrast to amalgam, resin fillings do not require undercuts to hold them in place, as they are adhesively bonded. This allows more tooth structure to be preserved. The permanent gray discoloration of the teeth that can be caused by amalgam fillings can also be avoided. During the setting process, amalgams press themselves into all irregularities of the tooth and can lead to the “cracking” of a tooth wall, which is not the case with resins.
Durability
The high-quality new resins used here in the practice are just as durable as amalgam, as they are bonded with modern adhesives.
Assumption of additional costs
High-quality plastics are considerably more expensive than amalgam. They are therefore not fully covered by statutory health insurance. For those with statutory health insurance, this results in a co-payment that depends on the size of the filling. In the case of a proven allergy to amalgam, plastic fillings are covered by statutory insurance in exceptional cases. Private health insurance companies generally cover plastic fillings.
