Minor restorative refers to dental fillings of all types. A filling will replace missing or damaged tooth structure that has been lost due to the decay process (a ”cavity”), or less commonly to the forces of erosion, excessive wear or trauma. A small or medium sized cavity is often asymptomatic, but left untreated will eventually grow to include the nerve that resides deep inside each tooth- resulting in the dreaded toothache. Diagnosing and treating cavities at an early stage avoids this scenario, the inconvenience and expense of more complex treatment, and underscores the value of regular dental examinations.
The vast majority of dental fillings are completed using tooth-coloured bonded composite, a material that has been refined and perfected since its introduction in the 1960’s, and has largely eclipsed traditional silver amalgam and gold as the most popular filling material.
