What’s in a Filling?

Modern advanced fillings and dental materials are sort of a magical mystery. Ever wonder why they call modern fillings “composite”? The answer is that they are a blend of two types of material: ceramic and polymer. A quick chemistry lesson. Ceramic is just as it sounds, a crystalline and strong structure, but brittle. Polymers are basically huge molecules that form from large numbers of much tinier molecules (monomers). Polymers, being a sort of network of smaller structures, are more flexible, and can withstand bending without breaking, unlike brittle ceramics. So, when the dentist gives you a composite filling, he is using a material that is a mix of ceramic and polymer, with the strength and rigidity of ceramic, with the flexibility and strength of polymers. Modern dental materials, such as we use at ProDentalFx, LLC, allow fillings to last a very long time, and to closely mimic the structure, usability, and appearance of real teeth, much to the benefit of patients. They are formulated to bond well to teeth, so that the bond and therefore the filling lasts longer. Even the appearance of real teeth can be changed by the types of molecules that are used, for instance nanosized spheres in the compound can produce color and translucency. In the future we may see 3D printed fillings and teeth, and materials that not only look like teeth, but live like teeth, absorbing and releasing fluoride and natural substances in your saliva, and encouraging replacement by natural recrystallization of tooth structure. Soon in other words, your fillings may act alive like a real tooth would, and this is the holy grail of materials research. Best wishes. – ProDentalFx, LLC (source: DPR, Vol. 67, Issue 7)