Dentists have treated injuries and infections of the enamel with dental fillings for thousands of years, and these restorations have traditionally been made from a mixture of metals like silver and mercury called amalgam. While these devices can be a great way to keep compromised teeth healthy, they can sometimes be quite visible when the patient laughs, speaks, or smiles. Here’s a quick look at the benefits of receiving a tooth-colored filling and why this treatment may be the best way to preserve your grin.
What Are the Advantages of Receiving a Tooth-Colored Filling?
While amalgam fillings can keep damaged teeth functional and healthy for many years, tooth-colored fillings offer a range of incredible benefits they cannot match like:
- Being indistinguishable from natural dental structure: Amalgam fillings can be quite conspicuous in a person’s smile. Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, are made from composite resin that mimics the color, texture, and appearance of your natural enamel.
- More conservative treatment: Composite resin bonds more readily to the patient’s natural tooth structure than amalgam, which means placing tooth-colored fillings will require less healthy enamel to be removed in most cases.
- Being metal-free: Amalgam fillings can expand and contract due to temperature shifts, which can cause the patient discomfort and may even cause new cracks to form in the enamel over time. Many patients are allergic to at least one metal found in amalgam, so receiving fillings made from it may be risky for them. Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, are incredibly strong and metal-free.
Tooth-colored fillings can often last as long as amalgam fillings if the patient practices excellent oral hygiene.
How Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Placed?
To place a tooth-colored filling, a dentist will begin by administering an appropriate anesthetic to make the process completely painless. Then, they will carefully remove the compromised material from the tooth and sanitize the treatment area. When this is done, the dentist will apply tooth-colored composite resin in layers until all the lost dental structure is replaced and harden the restoration with a specialized UV light. The patient will receive detailed aftercare instructions so they can know exactly how to take care of their new filling and stay comfortable while recovering.
A tooth-colored filling may be the most effective way to protect the health and beauty of your smile after a dental injury or infection. Consulting with your dentist can help you understand how to keep your teeth in excellent condition.
About the Author
Dr. Avni Dhaliwal earned her dental degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Her office in Maitland offers general, emergency, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry such as tooth-colored fillings. If you suspect you have a cavity or wish to schedule your next checkup, contact the office online or dial the front desk at (407) 335-4600.
