Our Glendale Dentist Gives You Information About Various Materials That Are Commonly Used In Dentistry

Written by Dr. McKay on Jun 13, 2017

Whether your tooth is damaged and you require restorative care, or you’re looking for a way to enhance your dental aesthetics (or both), you have a number of different dental materials at your disposal. Today our Glendale dentists are reviewing the attributes of a few of the most commonly employed materials in modern dentistry. We hope that this information helps you better understand how restorative and cosmetic dentistry works!

Let’s begin by discussing a type of filling that was once quite prevalent: amalgam. Amalgam is a mixture of metals—usually silver, tin, zinc, copper, and mercury—that is used to as a dental filling material. In modern dentistry, many patients prefer to avoid amalgam because it looks dark and metallic on the tooth surface, and because it contains mercury. Our dental team offers amalgam alternatives.

Composite resin fillings deliver aesthetically pleasing results while standing up to the wear and tear of daily life. Composite resin is made of powdered glass and plastic resin; this combination mimics the appearance of natural dental enamel, delivering a seamless visual result. Composite resin has become increasingly popular as amalgam use has fallen away.

Porcelain is another material that is frequently used to create dental restorations—including aesthetic restorations like veneers and LUMINEERS. Porcelain is especially popular for restoring teeth that are in the front of the patient’s smile, and thus highly visible. In certain cases, a porcelain restoration may not be a suitable option for restoring a molar due to the amount of pressure that will be placed on the tooth—your dentist will talk to you about your restorative options.

Our Glendale dentists can give you any additional information that you need about how we restore teeth, and the specific treatments that we offer. Please feel free to call our team, or use the Contact Us page on our website to submit a question.