Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Amalgam vs Composite
For scenario one with my patient needing a restoration for a class one carious lesion on
tooth #4 I would discuss first the difference between the two materials used for restoring carious
lesions and my opinion for the best option for this filling.
Amalgam fillings have been around for a very long time and were one of the first
materials introduced to the dental field following the use of gold to restore teeth. Amalgam
appears shiny and silver in color. Most often amalgam is used for restorations on the posterior
portion of the mouth due to its color difference and that easily stands out. This material is a good
choice if the area needed to restore is an area used for chewing because amalgam is a very strong
material composed of zinc, copper, tin, silver, and mercury. Other benefits for using amalgam is
the duration of stability lasting up to 10 years if properly cared for, the expenses of amalgam are
cheaper than those for composites or other restorative material, and can often be completed
during one dental visit. Disadvantages to using amalgam would be the appearance of the filling,
amalgam fillings can tarnish over the years due to the environment, more of the tooth structure is
removed for the placement of the material because it is held in by retention versus a bonding
agent like composites, and also amalgam restorations have the potential to change in shape over
Composites are another material often used in dentistry for restorations. Composites are a
mixture of plastic and fine glass particles and can be used anywhere in the mouth for any type of
restorative work. Unlike amalgam, composite material matches the appearance of the
surrounding teeth displaying the natural color of a tooth. Other benefits for choosing composite
are how easily and nicely it bonds to the teeth making it durable and can be placed and
completed during one dental visit. Although the use of composite restorations are very popular
because of the appearance, there are a few disadvantages that come with it including the cost is
more expensive than amalgam, the duration of stability can be significantly less than amalgam
and just like our own teeth, composite material can also become stained over time from coffee,
For this specific situation, the use of the composite material would be a great choice
because of the size of the filling needed is small enough that not much of the tooth structure
would need to be removed allowing it to be easily bonded to the tooth structure. Also with it
being a premolar, often times that area of the mouth is seen when a person smiles therefor a
composite restoration is my recommendation because the filling would blend in with the
For scenario two my patient has come into the office with a chief complaint being that his
front tooth #9 is starting to look gray and dull in color. With this being said it is obvious that the
restoration material used is composite and the filling needs to be replaced. Considering the
Leaking restorations can be caused by a handful of reasons including trauma, home care,
placement and normal wear and tear that the oral cavity undergoes. Leaky restorations can be
easily fixed and completed in one visit. If the filling was an older restoration the material used
may not be as strong as the newer material that is now available in dental offices. As far as the
tooth appearing gray and dull in color, this is due to the bonding material of the restoration
separating from the tooth allowing bacteria and saliva inside the tooth causing decay. Replacing
the filling with new composite material is highly recommended so the bonding agent and
Work Cited