A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. When a dentist gives you a filling, he or she first removes the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area, and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a medicated filling material. By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. Different types of materials are used for fillings like composite resin, amalgam (an alloy of mercury, silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc), Glass ionomer cement etc. Fillings can be tooth coloured or silver depending on the type of cavity and need of the patient.
