I have a cavity that needs restoring, what are my options?

There are three main ways of filling a hole in your tooth;

1. Amalgam (silver filling)

2. Composite fillings (white)

3. Inlays and Onlays

Our dentist is clearly a parent themself and is very good with our children, which is a huge positive. They are an excellent dentist and I will continue to recommend the Carnegie Clinic to all my family and friends.

— Nikki, Bradford

Amalgam Fillings (silver)

These are an amalgamation of various metals, including mercury, silver, tin and copper. At Carnegie Dental Clinic we provide bonded amalgam fillings. This technique means that the tooth cavity preparation is more conservative, saving valuable tooth structure. Amalgam is a strong and long lasting treatment option but is clearly visible in the mouth and unlike composite (white fillings) it takes 24 hours to set after placement.
Composite Fillings (white, right image)

Composite fillings are tooth coloured and are made from powdered glass quartz, silica or other ceramic particles added to a resin base

They are available in different shades to match your natural tooth colour. The composite is bonded to your tooth and can help prevent further tooth fracture by holding the sides of your tooth together.

Composite fillings are a good option for small to medium sized cavities and are set with an intense blue light as the filling is placed so you can chew on them straight away. They are slightly more prone to wear than amalgam fillings and as such can last on average one to two years less.
Tooth Coloured Inlays and Onlays

Porcelain and composite inlays (tooth coloured) are made in a laboratory and require two visits to your dentist.
At your first visit the cavity is prepared and a putty impression is taken of your tooth, after which a temporary dressing is placed until your second visit, when the final restoration is bonded to your tooth.

Porcelain and composite inlays and onlays are a hard wearing and long lasting restoration with the additional benefit that they come in a wide variety of shades to match your natural tooth. They are more expensive than a filling but cost less than a crown.

Left: Ceramic inlay. Right: Composite onlay.
Gold Inlays and Onlays

Gold inlays and onlays are a conservative and long lasting restoration that has been around for generations. Gold is a very bio-compatible material and has a very smooth surface so is extremely kind to any tooth which is opposing it. Gold inlays and onlays are particularly suited to anybody who clenches and grinds their teeth.

Below: On the left is a gold onlay, on the right a gold inlay.