Direct Restorative Dental Materials

The first type we will talk about is direct restorative dental materials silver amalgam. In general terms, an amalgam is a mixture of any metallic element with the liquid element mercury. More specifically, dental amalgam is a mixture of a silver alloy with mercury.

However, because of their gray color, today these restorations are limited to the posterior teeth where esthetics is less of a concern

Another example of direct restorative material is resin composite. A luting agent is a dental cement that your dentist uses to help secure a dental restoration, like crown, inlay, onlay, or fixed bridge to your teeth. Another example is using composite resin to fix chipped teeth.

However, the composite resin isn’t the answer for every tooth defect. Teeth that have become worn, fractured, or have undergone a root canal treatment are best treated with a porcelain restoration such as a veneer or crown. But where the defect is relatively minor, composite resin may be the option.