| Dental composites |
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Dental composites, also called white fillings, are a group of restorative materials used in dentistry.
The main advantage of a dental composite over traditional materials such as amalgam is improved aesthetics. Composites can be made in a wide range of tooth colours allowing near invisible restoration of teeth. Composite resin can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked, stained, or have spaces between them. |
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| Composites are glued into teeth and this strengthens the tooth's structure. The discovery of acid etching (producing enamel irregularities ranging from 5-30 micrometers in depth) of teeth to allow a micromechanical bond to the tooth allows good adhesion of the restoration to the tooth. This means that unlike silver filling there is no need for the dentist to create retentive features destroying healthy tooth. The acid-etch adhesion prevents microleakage; however, all white fillings will eventually leak slightly. |
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| The downside to composite when compared to amalgam is a shorter lifespan of the filling, and the high likelihood of requiring root canal therapy if the failure of the filling is not caught quickly. Amalgam fillings may crack a portion of the tooth off, but otherwise tend to fail at a much slower rate. |
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| Crown refers to the restoration of teeth using materials that are fabricated by indirect methods which are cemented into place. A crown is used to cap or completely cover a tooth. |
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