If “white” fillings bond to tooth structure, why can that be used instead of a crown?
It is often possible to repair a badly decayed tooth using tooth-colored materials. However, “white” fillings cannot be used in every situation, and if a tooth is very badly broken-down, a crown will usually be necessary and provide better overall satisfaction for the patient. For the “white” fillings to work long-term, they require adequate amounts of solid tooth structure to adhere to. Crowns, on the other hand, cover a central tooth core and form a “hoop” around the tooth that both supports and protects.
