Tooth-colored Fillings Can Restore Oral Health and Preserve the Appearance of Your Smile
A tooth-colored filling can restore a tooth that has suffered damage due to a cavity, and presents several advantages over silver amalgam fillings. Dr. Emma Wu offers tooth-colored fillings at her North Andover, MA, practice. These restorations are made from specialized composite resin matched to blend seamlessly with your teeth, providing support following cavity treatment, as well as a natural appearance. If you have a cavity or are experiencing pain in one or more of your teeth, it is important to seek treatment before decay can become worse.
What is a Cavity?
A cavity is a hole that forms in your tooth when bacteria and plaque are accumulate. The resulting decay damages your tooth enamel and underlying layers. Symptoms of a cavity may include:
- A toothache
- Increased sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
- Visible holes in teeth
- Abnormal staining on a single tooth or teeth
- Pain when chewing
Regular dental care can help prevent cavities, but even patients with excellent oral hygiene can suffer from decay. If you are experiencing any cavity symptoms, Dr. Wu can help you avoid further damage to your teeth.
Tooth-colored Fillings by Dr. Wu
When you come to Dr. Wu’s office for a tooth-colored filling, you will receive a local anesthetic to numb the affected areas and maximize your comfort during treatment. She will use a highly precise, gentle dental laser to remove any decayed parts of your tooth and disinfect the area. She will then select a shade of dental composite resin – the same material used in dental bonding treatments – that most closely matches the shade of your teeth.
Once your tooth is clean, Dr. Wu will repair your tooth structure with the composite resin, using a specialized light to harden the material. This process will typically be completed in layers, ensuring a proper shape and stronger restoration. Dr. Wu will also polish the filling so that it blends naturally with your bite and does not cause any alignment issues. Patients with silver-colored amalgam fillings may also replace these older restorations with tooth-colored fillings for a whiter, more natural-looking smile.
“Tooth-colored fillings are superior restorations because the resin bonds directly to the tooth, requiring less tooth alteration and providing additional strength to damaged teeth.”
Benefits of Tooth-colored Fillings
With advancements in technology over the years, fillings have become relatively quick and painless restorative treatments for tooth decay. Traditional silver amalgam fillings take up more room, meaning that we would have to remove more of your natural, healthy tooth to hold the material in place. Tooth-colored fillings are superior because the resin bonds directly to the tooth, requiring less tooth alteration and providing additional strength to damaged teeth.
Amalgam fillings also expand and contract with temperature changes, and even this slight fluctuation can weaken the tooth structure over time leading to cracks and significant damage. Composite resin fillings does not react to temperature. In addition, while there has been no conclusive link established between the trace amounts of mercury in metal fillings and any adverse health effects in adults, many patients simply feel more comfortable with tooth-colored fillings. These patients can enjoy a more natural-looking smile without the use of any metals in their treatment.
Restore Your Teeth
If you would like a restoration that does not affect the aesthetics of your smile, contact our office to schedule an appointment. Dr. Wu can provide treatment that not only restores the health of your smile, but also helps you look and feel your best.