Did you know that nearly 99 out of 100 people will have at least one cavity in their lifetime? Cavities must be treated with restorative dental work such as fillings to prevent them from spreading to the sensitive interior structures of the teeth. Untreated tooth decay can lead to infection, discomfort, and tooth loss.
When it comes to addressing teeth damaged by decay, dark metal fillings—typically referred to as amalgam—have normally been associated with restorative dental work. Fortunately, tooth-colored fillings are a durable and visually-pleasing alternative for patients who would prefer not to compromise the aesthetic appearance of their smiles. Used in dentistry for decades, tooth-colored fillings are made from composite resin. This resilient compound of plastic materials offers many benefits to patients.
Like metal fillings, composite resin is bonded to your teeth in one visit to the dentist’s office. After minimal tooth preparation, resin is applied to the affected area in liquid form. After being cured by a special light, the resin will harden. This form of tooth restoration is convenient and non-invasive.
Composite resin fillings are tinted by your dentist to match the color of your tooth and surrounding teeth. Because tooth-colored fillings reflect light and match the color of your teeth, composite resin dental work is virtually undetectable to others. Since amalgam fillings are dark and easily noticeable, patients with composite resin fillings enjoy smiling confidently around others.
Your dentist can also replace old, metal fillings with this aesthetically-pleasing and natural-looking alternative. By simply and safely removing old amalgam, cleaning and preparing the tooth, and placing composite resin, patients with dark dental work can enjoy a smile with inconspicuous restorations, too.
An additional benefit to restoring teeth with tooth-colored fillings is the fact that the chemical structure of composite resin bonds to teeth better than amalgam. Furthermore, less tooth preparation is required for placing natural-looking fillings, which makes these restorations a conservative option for treating decay.
To learn more about our tooth restoration methods, contact our skilled team at Withers Dentistry to schedule your visit.