Dental Composite Resin

What is a Dental Composite Resin?

Dental Composite Resin is also called Composites are synthetic resins that are used as adhesives or restorative material in dentistry. The composite resin can be shaped and moulded to give a better appearance to the teeth.

Characteristics of Composites

Composites are a popular choice for dentists all over the world for their following characteristics:

• They are insoluble.
• They look similar to a tooth.
• They do not get dehydrated.
• They are easy to manipulate.
• They are economical.

Need For Composites

The dentist utilize composite for different dental issues faced by the patients. Most of the cases are cosmetic solutions for:

• Chipped teeth
• Teeth with gaps
• Staining of teeth and fillings

Advantages of using Composites

The advantages of using composites are:

• They provide a closely matched look of the teeth.
• They micro-mechanically bond to the tooth strengthening the tooth’s structure and also restoring its physical integrity.
• They retain the original tooth. They help preserve a tooth and become an alternative to teeth extraction.
• They are more economical when compared to other dental restorative methods like dental crowns etc.
• Adding more composite filling can repair minor damage that is found in the composite filling.
• They do not corrode unlike amalgam fillings.
• They use negligible mercury unlike amalgam fillings. This helps is avoiding exposure to mercury by both patients and dentists and prevent diseases like brain cancer, changes in renal function etc.

Disadvantages of Composites

Composites might show a few disadvantages that might exist in some cases. Some of the cases are:

• The composite might shrink during curing leading to an inferior bonding, which in turn can cause caries.
• Composite fillings might not last as much as amalgam fillings.
• They can chip off some tooth.

Composite Application Procedure

The dentist will first start by removing tiny pieces of the enamel from the tooth’s surface. This will allow the dentist to shape the composite resin correctly onto the patient’s tooth. The dentist will then apply the bonding agent.

After this, the dentist will then start applying the composite resin on to the tooth. The resin is then treated with a special light. This process will help cure the resin quickly.

Once the composite resin has cured, the dentist will then polish the teeth to the desired results. This whole procedure requires a high level of expertise in the technique to get a natural shape and mould.

Post Procedure Care

The composite resin does have good durability. But like any synthetic material, it has to be taken care of properly.

The dentist would recommend regular maintenance by visiting the dentist regularly and clean the teeth properly by brushing and flossing daily. Some dentist would also recommend using of mouthwashes.

The patient will have to avoid beverages that can stain your teeth, like tea, coffee, red wine etc.

Authored By Dr Sanjay N - Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Bangalore