Tooth Colored Fillings

Recent scientific discoveries are proving very important to dentists in their efforts to improve each and every smile. The work of researchers over the past decades is helping to create more natural looking solutions for patients in need of tooth repairs. Innovations such as tooth-colored fillings are the answer for those people who want their dental work to look natural as they talk, smile, and laugh.

Without proper dental hygiene and diet, plaque develops quickly, and easily weakens teeth. This can especially be a problem when proper attention is not paid to the texture and hardness of our food. A crack on a tooth will allow bacteria to seep in and turn into a cavity. Tooth decay can easily and comfortably be removed by your dentist and a tooth-colored filling placed to restore the tooth.

What are Tooth Colored Fillings?

Tooth-colored fillings, sometimes called composite fillings or white fillings, are made from glass or quartz filler with a resin medium. The adhesive is carefully applied and then several layers of the composite, which matches the tooth color, are applied. The fillings are used to repair a small to medium sized area of the tooth where a cavity was removed or to fix small chip in a tooth. Being the perfect shade to match your tooth, after you have a cavity filled, you may not even be able to tell which tooth had the work done. This color-matching technique keeps your teeth looking as natural as possible.

Tooth colored fillings have the added benefit of usually requiring only one office visit.  Another benefit of tooth-colored fillings is that less of the healthy tooth around the cavity must be removed. Because of its strong ability to adhere, less of the tooth is removed to accommodate this composite filling.

Care For Tooth Colored Fillings

Though brushing, flossing, and regular oral hygiene appointments your filling will last longer. Your dentist will examine the fillings for color change, damage, and unusual wear so that you stay informed when there is need for repair or replacement.