Dental fillings are any material that fill a cavity preparation. Today, dentists can be much more conservative in their cavity preparations because we can bond very effectively to tooth structure, both on front (anterior) and back (posterior) teeth. Silver amalgam fillings are still used, but both Dr. Horwitz and Dr. Monzon have not used silver for many years.

The primary material used for fillings today are composite materials, which are synthetic resins. These are available in various shades so that the filling will match the tooth as well as possible and generally become invisible. They are bonded to the tooth and in so doing, are able to restore much of the original physical integrity of the tooth.