White composite fillings at Tooth n Care East Maitland

White Fillings

Repairs that don’t announce themselves

Composite resin is bonded directly into the prepared tooth and shaded to match, so the repair disappears rather than glinting back at you.

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When It’s Needed

You may need a filling if

A check-up or X-ray has found decay
A tooth is sensitive to sweet, hot or cold things
You can feel a rough edge or a hole with your tongue
Food consistently packs into the same spot
An old filling has cracked, chipped or worn at the edges
A front tooth is chipped and you’d rather not go as far as a veneer
You want existing amalgam replaced for appearance — a reasonable choice, if it’s the only reason

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Numbing

Local anaesthetic for anything but the shallowest repair. Very small fillings sometimes need none, and we’ll ask rather than assume.

02/

Removing decay

The decayed tissue is removed and the cavity shaped. This is the noisy part; it isn’t painful once you’re numb. Usually a few minutes per tooth.

03/

Bonding & layering

The tooth is isolated and kept dry, an adhesive applied, then composite placed in layers and cured with light. Dryness matters enormously to how long the filling lasts.

04/

Shaping & bite check

We contour the surface to match the original anatomy, polish it, then check your bite with articulating paper and adjust until it feels normal.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Composite sets hard immediately — you can eat as soon as the anaesthetic wears off.
Avoid chewing on the numb side until sensation fully returns, to prevent biting your cheek or tongue.
Cold and pressure sensitivity for a few days to a couple of weeks is common, particularly with deeper fillings.
If the tooth feels high or you’re hitting it first when you bite, come back — a 60-second adjustment fixes it and prevents ongoing pain.
Sensitivity that is worsening rather than settling after two weeks needs reviewing.
Reduce staining at the margins by limiting coffee, tea, red wine and smoking.

A white composite filling being placed at Tooth n Care

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Amalgam fillings

Longer-lasting in large loads and cheaper, but silver-coloured and requiring more tooth removal. Rarely our first choice now, but still a valid material.

An inlay, onlay or crown

Where a cavity is very large, a lab-made restoration or crown distributes force better and lasts longer than an oversized composite.

Monitoring early decay

Very early enamel decay can sometimes be remineralised with fluoride and better cleaning rather than drilled. We photograph and watch it.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

Composite fillings typically last five to ten years — less than amalgam in very large cavities or heavy grinders.
Post-operative sensitivity is common and usually temporary, but deep fillings occasionally irritate the nerve enough that root canal treatment becomes necessary later.
Composite requires a dry field. Placing one right at the gum line, or on a patient who can’t stay open comfortably, is technically harder and may compromise longevity.
The material shrinks very slightly as it sets, which is why it’s placed in layers — poor technique here causes gaps and recurrent decay.
Margins stain over time, particularly on front teeth in coffee and red wine drinkers.
Replacing sound amalgam removes healthy tooth structure for no clinical benefit, and each replacement cycle makes the cavity larger.
Very large fillings can weaken the remaining tooth walls, raising the risk of a cusp fracturing.

Cost & health funds

Cost depends on the size of the filling and how many surfaces of the tooth are involved. Most health funds rebate on both composite and amalgam fillings, claimable at the desk through HICAPS, and eligible children are covered under CDBS.

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

Book an assessment →

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.