Natural Tooth Colored Composite Fillings
Composite is the best choice if you want the most natural finish possible for your fillings to be unnoticeable. Composite fillings are preferred over amalgam for their durability, their ability to closely match the color of natural teeth, and especially for their mercury-free nature. Composite fillings can restore strength to the tooth, protect from decay, and last up to twenty years.
Compared to the traditional amalgam/ “silver” filling, composite resin practically looks invisible because they can be color matched to natural teeth, making it the most aesthetically pleasing option. Composite resin bonds well to tooth enamel, making fillings less likely to pop loose. An advantage composite resin has over amalgam is that it doesn’t expand or contract with temperature exposure which can result in fractures. Since composite resin can be bonded in layers, it involves less drilling away of your natural tooth.
Do you have more questions about composite filling? Schedule an appointment with us or give us a call, The Wobbly Tooth Dental Practice staff is happy to help you!
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Composite resin is ideal for repairing cavities, chipped or cracked teeth, filling in a tooth gap, correcting dental discoloration, protecting any exposed tooth root from gum recession, or changing the shape of teeth.
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Traditional amalgams are made of a combination of different metals including silver, tin, copper, and mercury. Although there is mercury in amalgam, the levels detected in amalgam are deemed safe by the ADA. The use of amalgam also requires more of the natural tooth structure to be removed and they are very noticeable, even on the back teeth, if your mouth is open wide.
To help our patients achieve a more confident smile that is aesthetically pleasing and durable, our clinic uses composite resin as the resin of choice.
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If you have a cavity, getting the cavity filled is a fairly simple process. You should expect to take about an hour for the whole process.
Before your dentist begins, a local anesthetic will be injected to numb your gums, teeth, and surrounding area. This will help to prevent pain and lessen the discomfort during the procedure. Next, a drill is used to remove any decay on your tooth. You may feel slight pressure with this step. Once all the decay is removed, your dentist will then use a composite resin to restore the tooth. This filling will be molded so that it is the right shape for your tooth and will blend seamlessly with your other natural teeth.
A composite filling is then applied to your tooth in layers until they fill the hole. An ultraviolet light is used to cure the layers, helping them harden quickly.
After your filling, your mouth will most likely be numb for the next several hours. It is recommended to avoid eating until the local anesthetic has wore off.
Your filling has several important functions, it prevents bacterial from building up in your former cavity. The composite filling also prevent the inner nerve from being exposed which can cause pain. The filling also help support your tooth structure.
If you would like to learn more about getting a composite filling, our team at The Wobbly Tooth Dental Practice would love to talk to you about it. Give us a call to help set up your appointment.
