Tooth-Colored Fillings – Arnold, MO

In the past, metallic amalgam fillings were your best restorative option. As a compound of mercury, silver, tin, zinc, and copper, amalgam is very strong and durable, but it definitely has downsides, including the dark, silvery appearance and the need to remove more of the natural tooth structure to accommodate the filling. Getting cavities filled could mean noticeable dots throughout your smile.

But today, we at JL Dental use a better, more modern kind of filling material that is colored to match your tooth’s enamel and restore your smile’s beauty, function, and health.

Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth-colored fillings are made of composite resin, which is a compound of ceramic and plastic materials. This advanced type of filling has many advantages over amalgam, including the following:

• Composite resin is flexible, which allows the dentist to preserve more of the natural tooth.
• Whereas amalgam fillings can react to hot and cold, causing sensitivity, composite resin does a better job protecting the nerves in the interior of the tooth from these sensations.
• Composite resin bonds chemically to the tooth, making the filling very secure and less likely to come out.
• Because the bond between the tooth and the resin is so strong, the tooth’s structure gets extra strength and support from the filling.
• Composite resin can be adapted to closely match the color of natural teeth, making them barely visible.

Process of Getting Tooth-Colored Fillings

To start with, your dentist in Arnold applies a local anesthetic and numbs the affected area. After the tooth decay has been cleaned out, your tooth has a gaping hole in it that needs to be filled. They place the resin into the cavity in layers, hardening each layer with a special light. They then sculpt the resin to the desired shape, remove the excess material, and polish the final product. The process is that simple, painless, and quick.

Whether you have a cavity that needs to be fixed, or you have old amalgam fillings and want them replaced to improve the appearance of your teeth, we can help restore your brilliant, healthy smile with tooth-colored fillings. Contact us for an appointment today!