A filling is an artificial material used to replace parts of the tooth that have been damaged by tooth decay or have fractured.
The treatment involves removing all the decay and sealing the hole in the tooth with materials to protect the remaining tooth from further decay, and to allow it to function normally.
There are various materials used to restore teeth including tooth-coloured fillings such as composite resins and glass ionomer cements, or metallic (amalgam) fillings.
Dental amalgam is slowly being phased out by most dentists, as composite resin technology is becoming stronger and does not expand/contract like amalgam. The expansion can cause cracks leading to tooth decay and damage.
