You don’t want to everyone to be able to count your fillings when you laugh at the end of a good joke. Fortunately, today’s dentistry options take the health and appearance of your smile into consideration — and white fillings near Deerfield are a perfect example.
White Fillings: When, Why and How
A cavity is a small hole that forms on the surface of teeth when bacteria and plaque aren’t removed by thorough brushing and flossing. Caught early, cavities are repaired quickly — but left unattended, they can turn into more advanced forms of decay and infection that may eventually require root canal or, in the worst cases, extraction. Maintaining regular checkups and cleanings can help ensure your cavities receive the attention the need sooner, rather than later.
When and Why to Choose a White Filling
Also known as tooth-colored or composite fillings, white fillings blend well with the rest of your smile. The material is a composite resin made up of a mixture of plastic and glass, and it restores a tooth following decay just as well as a silver filling — without any of the negative side effects.
Some reasons to consider white fillings include the following.
- White fillings blend flawlessly with the rest of your teeth
- White fillings require less removal of the natural tooth structure
- Composite resin dries within minutes, compared to the hours of careful eating required with silver fillings
- There is absolutely no risk of mercury exposure with white fillings
In addition to its role in restoring teeth from decay, the composite resin can also be used for cosmetic purposes. Known as cosmetic bonding, the treatment can improve the appearance of chipped, cracked, discolored and slightly gapped or misaligned teeth.
How White Fillings are Applied
The process for filling a cavity with composite resin isn’t all that different from that of amalgam. It looks something like this:
- Based on your surrounding teeth, your dentist will decide what shade of composite resin will work best with your smile.
- Your tooth will be completely cleaned.
- Your dentist will administer a local anaesthesia (and sedation as desired) to ensure your complete comfort throughout the procedure.
- Decay is thoroughly removed from the tooth.
- The tooth is etched to aid in the secure bonding between the enamel and the filling.
- A bonding agent is applied and shaped to blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth.
- Your dentist checks your bite and takes last steps to ensure it works well with the rest of your smile.
- You’re finished!
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
If you’d like to benefit from tooth colored fillings in Greenfield, or to learn more about filling replacement from Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda PC, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! Schedule your appointment for tooth colored fillings near Northfield today.