Composite Fillings (tooth-colored):

If you want your fillings to be invisible, composite resins can restore a decayed tooth or repair a defect. Composites are composed mainly of two primary ingredients: a binder of plastic resin and a filler of finely ground, glass-like particles that give them a lifelike appearance and durability.

Composite fillings can be placed in one visit, just like a traditional amalgam filling.

Composite fillings provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small-to-mid size restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure. Less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth, and this may result in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam.

Composites are bonded or adhesively held in a cavity, often allowing the dentist to make a more conservative repair to the tooth.

Since composites last as long as amalgam fillings, look better and can help strengthen the tooth, Dr. Webster chooses not to place amalgam restorations.