Even when parents are fastidious about caring for their children’s teeth, there are still occasions when they get cavities. While some may think that it isn’t worth it to have fillings put in baby teeth, it is actually very important. This is because if there are problem with the baby teeth that aren’t corrected, it can lead to problems with their adult teeth. While many parents opt for silver fillings, many others choose to let their children have white fillings. Until recently, amalgam has been the most popular material for white fillings, but today, there are other materials that are used.
Parents should ask pediatric Dentists in Phoenixville, PA about the various materials used for white fillings. There are three materials that are commonly used. These are resin-modified glass inomers (RMGI), compomers, and composites. The strongest of these materials is RMGI, because a resin is added to make it stronger. Composites are the same color as natural teeth, made from a matrix mixed with a filler. Compomers are simply composites made from resin.
When it comes to filling a child’s back teeth, the best choice is to use a silver filling, because it is the strongest. But, if the cavity is in a front tooth, the child and the parents may want to have a filling that is not noticeable, or a white filling. Dentists in Phoenixville will remove all of the decayed part of the tooth, and clean it completely. Then, they layer the material used for the white filling into the area that has been cleaned out. Layers are cured with a light, and the final layer is filed and shaped to match the surrounding teeth.
Obviously, the biggest advantage to having white fillings is that they look better. In fact, the dental work will be virtually invisible. Another advantage is that there is less work involved with this type of filling than there is when one gets a silver filling. The biggest disadvantage is that white fillings are much more costly. Talk to the dentists at Pediatric Dentistry of Collegeville to learn about the various options available.