Tools Of Any Trade In A Song, Fun!
ChatterBank1 min ago
No best answer has yet been selected by loggy01. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Have a read here for some info on this, the ''hair dryer thing'' is actually an ultra-violet light generator which is used to make the composite harden, it is a kind of epoxy and it only hardens when exposed to uv light, you could make it harden by standing in the sun with your mouth open for 10 minutes but the machine is easier.
There are two main types of white filling GIC (glass ionomer cement) and composite resin. Since you said a 'hair dryer' was used it was probably a composite filling.
None of the white filling materials currently available (unless made in a lab.) last as long as silver fillings (amalgam). If the filling is in a back tooth you might expect it to last around five years. The material typically contains a glass filler and a resin (usually BisGMA).
The hair dryer as qapmoc said is actually a blue light(most don't use UV anymore, so don't worry about harmful effects) used to set/cure the material.