Tooth Colored Fillings
For many years now, amalgam (silver) fillings have been successfully used to restore decayed teeth. It has served as a wonderful restorative material and has proven to be very durable over time.
However, we see that over time, teeth will crack as a result of the expansion of the amalgam due to the hot and cold we expose them to. These fractures start off small and asymptomatic. Eventually the fractures go deeper and cause all kinds of problems ranging from temperature sensitivity, biting sensitivity, or large portions of the tooth breaking off. In many instances a root canal treatment is necessary to resolve the symptoms. When it gets to that point, it is more difficult and costly to restore the tooth, and the treatment is more aggressive.
By intercepting the fractures or potential of fracture before experiencing symptoms of hot/cold sensitivity and biting pain, new conservative treatments like composite (tooth colored) filling or porcelain bonded restorations are preventing the side effects of toothaches and broken teeth. Using a proactive rather then reactive approach to amalgam replacement is a choice many patients are happy to have.
Dental composites have many advantages over amalgam. They chemically adhere to the tooth which acts like glue to hold the tooth together and restores strength and integrity. They have similar physical properties as natural tooth structure, so the tooth won’t crack or break down. Composites come in many different colors so we can perfectly match it to each tooth and shape it to mimic nature. The material is very polishable, leaving a very smooth and undetectable surface finish.
