There are two types of fillings that can be used to fill teeth.

White (Composite Resin) Fillings

A composite filling is a tooth coloured resin which can be used to restore cavities and improve appearance in both front and back teeth.

• They can be used to improve smiles by reshaping teeth.
• They can provide a closer match to the natural colour of back teeth.
• They bond to the tooth which may lead to less tooth fractures.

Silver (Amalgam) Fillings

• Silver fillings are less expensive than white fillings, so they provide a tried and tested solution but look less natural.
• When silver fillings are placed, more of the tooth is removed which may weaken the tooth and make it more susceptible to breaking in the future.

Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment (endodontics) is needed when the inside of the tooth (pulp) is damaged due to decay or injury. It is most often needed in teeth that have deep fillings, deep dental decay or from a bang to the tooth for eg a fall. Once the pulp is damaged, it cannot heal without treatment and will eventually lead to an abscess.

A root treatment is normally carried out over 2 visits and involves removing the infected pulp, cleaning, disinfecting and shaping the canals until ready to place the permanent root filling. Root canal treatment is usually successful in about 80% of cases, although this depends largely on the difficulty of the individual tooth. If there should be a recurrence of infection the treatment can usually be repeated. If a tooth has a particularly difficult shape, or a complication, it is possible to refer to a specialist who can use advanced techniques and instruments to treat your tooth. Sometimes extraction of the tooth is the only option if treatment fails.