Dental Fillings

Durable, Tooth-Colored Materials

There are many types of filling materials available, each with advantages and disadvantages. Teeth can be filled with gold, porcelain, or the two most widely-used options: composite fillings and silver amalgam fillings – often simply called amalgam. Although silver fillings have been used in dentistry for over 100 years, health concerns have been raised. This filling material consists of a combination of metals including mercury (a key concern for detractors), tin and copper as well as small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium. Dr. Hadaegh has chosen not to use amalgam for his patients. In fact, the doctor is often called upon to replace – or recommends himself – the replacement of these older silver fillings with newer, tooth-colored material. Typically, the doctor will use dental composite resins for fillings, simply called composites. These composites are insoluble, insensitive to dehydration, easy to manipulate and best of all, can be closely matched to your existing teeth. They are also white in color, can be matched to the whiteness of your other teeth, are strong, stain-resistant and require less removal of your tooth structure than amalgam fillings.