Composite

In kid words

Composite is special tooth-colored putty that the dentist shapes into your tooth to fix it, then makes hard with a little light. It's matched to the color of your own teeth, so it blends right in. Once it's hard, you can chew and smile just like before.

The parent version

Composite is the everyday name for the tooth-colored resin material used for both fillings and bonding repairs. It starts soft and workable, gets shaped directly onto or into the tooth, and is then hardened with a special light. It's tinted to match the shade of the surrounding teeth, so a repair blends in rather than standing out.

Our practice places tooth-colored composite fillings that preserve healthy tooth structure. Whether composite is the right material for a specific repair depends on the tooth and the damage involved, so ask your pediatric dentist about the plan for your child's visit.

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Call (239) 482-2722

Where you might hear it at our office

This word tends to come up around a cavity or a small chip. Our restorative dentistry is built around tooth-colored composite fillings that preserve healthy tooth structure, and the same material shows up in bonding, the quick repair used for chips and gaps.

Curious about another word from your child's visit? Browse the full Kids' Dental Dictionary for more.

Related words

Filling. Bonding. Amalgam.

Parents ask us

Is composite the same thing as a filling?

Not exactly. Composite is the material itself, the tooth-colored resin. A filling is one use of that material, replacing the part of a tooth affected by a cavity. The same material is also used for bonding, which repairs a chip rather than a cavity. Your pediatric dentist can explain which term fits your child's visit.

Will a composite repair look different from the rest of the tooth?

It shouldn't stand out much. Composite is shaded to match the surrounding teeth, so most repairs blend in once they are finished. Ask your pediatric dentist what to expect for a specific tooth.

Is composite used on baby teeth?

It can be, depending on the tooth and the repair needed. Your pediatric dentist decides what material fits best after seeing your child's teeth in person.

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