White Fillings for Back Teeth
Decay of the chewing (occlusal) surface of back teeth has been one of the most common human diseases. Their treatment is not a cosmetic issue only; it is very much a health imperative since these small decays grow gradually damaging not only the tooth tissues but also the nerve which would, in turn, require root canal therapy. To avoid such complications, you should go to your dentist once every six months for a checkup making sure that such cases were dealt with on their very onset.
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In previous times, it was common practice to restore back teeth with amalgam. Nowadays, however, with the advances made in the production of composites and dental adhesives, the back teeth can also be filled with white materials. By spending some more time and with more precision, the tissues of the back teeth will be better preserved and they would also look more appealing.
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Preparing composite cavities is more conservative than amalgam cavities thereby allowing the tissues to remain more intact. In cases where the tissues have been destroyed more and thus restoring them directly with composite is not possible, indirect methods and lab composites could be used which are called onlays. This process takes two to three sessions as the tooth is first prepared with the decay parts removed before the impression is taken and sent to the lab for final production.
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If the tooth crown has been completely destroyed, once the root of the tooth has been treated and the crown restored (technically, post and core), an impression is taken with which the necessary capping is produced.
It is worth noting that no textbook mentions amalgam as being dangerous and/or poisonous for the human body. Some research does, however, indicate the dangers of free mercury for the environment, pregnant women, and those suffering from kidney disorders. This does not rule out of course the advantages of amalgam, i.e. higher durability, ease of application, and lower prices.
