What are filling materials

Today, dentists used varieties such as: amalgam, phosphate cements, glass ionomer cements, composites and polymeric materials. Now let's talk in more detail about each of them.

Amalgam

Is a material based on an alloy of mercury with various metals.
Pros:

• long life
• negative shrinkage
• ease of use
• insensitivity to moisture.

Cons:

• the presence of mercury, which can harm the patient and medical staff;
• high expansion ratio (for this very often spalling of the walls of the teeth that are adjacent to the seal);
• metallic luster seal.

For sealing with amalgam requires that a dentist possess highly professional skills and plus you need a lot of time on the installation, and hardening of the seal (about 2 - 3 hours).

Phosphate cements

This is the powders, which consist of: magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, zinc oxide and aluminum oxide.

Pros:

• a low cost (health clinics such seals put free).

Cons:

• high degree of resistance to abrasion;
• some of the toxicity of the material;
• poor marginal seal
• low mechanical strength;
• short term service (up to 2 years).

Glass ionomer cements

These cements are the materials of new generation.

Pros:

• durability
• the strength;
• absolute nontoxicity;
• good adhesion to the tooth
• long term fluoride release.

Cons:

• physical fragility;
• high wearability.

Composites

Filling materials, which make, based on the polymer resin.

There are the following types of composites:

• photosensitive
• epoxy resins
• allstargame.

Composites based on epoxy resins physically fragile, but resistant to abrasion. If you compare them with allstargame materials, they are less toxic. Their main disadvantage is a noticeable darkening, some time after their installation.

Allstargame composites are very resistant to abrasion, very durable, but highly toxic.

a Common drawback of all composite materials is that they get mixed up right before the fillings. They harden for 2 - 3 min., Respectively, in such a short period of time the material should be introduced into the tooth cavity and to form the seal. That is why in this case it is aesthetic the dentist pays the minimum of his attention.

Seal from a composite filling material can last 3 to 4 years.

Polymeric materials

This modern filling material, are made either on the basis of composite polymers, or composites, or on the basis of light-curing cement.

Their main feature is the presence of the adhesive backing, whereby the seal is stably and firmly be fixed to the tooth.

Polymeric materials harden only when exposed to light of a special lamp (which, in turn, allows the dentist slowly to form the seal necessary forms and provides an opportunity to put fillings on any tooth without restrictions and to choose when filling the desired color).

Translated by "Yandex.Translate": translate.yandex.ru.