If you have a cavity, the Fort Bend Dental team will most likely recommend a dental filling. This conservative restoration can strengthen your weakened tooth and return optimal oral function. Additionally, the filling will seal your tooth so that you are less likely to suffer from decay in the future. We proudly offer tooth-colored fillings at our Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Aliana and Sugar Land, TX, practices. Made of composite resin, these fillings are more natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing than metal restorations, and can strengthen your teeth more effectively.
As compared to amalgam fillings, composite fillings are designed to blend with surrounding teeth for flawless results.
Is a Filling Right for You?
Fillings are appropriate for small to moderate areas of decay. If a cavity has spread across a larger portion of your tooth, you will typically need a dental crown, inlay, or onlay. Your dentist will examine your teeth and take x-rays to ascertain the extent of the decay. Then he can determine which type of restoration is most appropriate for you.
The Advantages of Tooth-colored Fillings
The most obvious benefit of tooth-colored fillings is aesthetic. Composite blends seamlessly with your smile for a natural look that will last as long as your restoration. In contrast, metal fillings may cause visible tooth discoloration over time, even if they were completely hidden when your dentist first placed them.
Composite fillings also offer other practical benefits. Composite bonds directly to the enamel, unlike gold or silver amalgam, more effectively restoring the original integrity of your tooth. Because composite is actually bonded to the tooth, your dentist will not need to remove as much tissue to place a tooth-colored filling as he would to create a space to secure a metal filling. Finally, composite is a stable material, as opposed to metal: metal fillings expand and contract with temperature changes, which can severely weaken your teeth over time by creating cracks and fractures.
What Happens When Your Dentist Places a Filling?
Before placing your filling, your dentist will numb and clean your tooth, removing bacteria and decayed tissue while gently reshaping the affected portion to prepare the treatment area for the composite. If you have a very deep cavity, your dentist may place a protective barrier at the bottom of your tooth to guard your tooth’s nerves.
Composite blends seamlessly with your smile for a natural look that will last as long as your restoration.
Next, your dentist will select a shade of composite resin that blends with your smile. Because composite is available in a broad range of colors, you can find a shade that is a near-perfect match. To ensure a strong bond for the composite, your practitioner will lightly etch your tooth to form microscopic grooves, creating more surface area to which your filling can adhere. Finally, your dentist will place the filling in several layers. He will harden each successive layer with a curing light. At the end of the procedure, your dentist will polish your restored tooth for a completely natural appearance.
Contact Us for More Information
We are committed to providing you with the latest in restorative care. To learn more about our natural-looking, metal-free composite fillings, contact Fort Bend Dental today. You deserve a dazzling white smile.
