Blog

Likely, you have not put much thought into what materials make up the filling in your mouth, but considering how a filling permanently resides in your mouth, maybe you should. Dentists indeed take this into consideration and, because of this, have completely left metal amalgam fillings in the past.

Today, many dentists in the Dallas, Texas, area utilize composite resin fillings. Dr. Mary Swift and the team at Dallas Laser Dentistry are no exception. Let us look at why composite resin fillings have become the industry norm.

How Are Composite Fillings Different?

When looking at the two primary materials used for fillings over the past decades, you have metal amalgam and composite resins (also called tooth-colored or white fillings). Composite fillings consist of an acrylic resin mixed with powdered glass. Composite resin fillings offer the necessary durability and strength for your front or back teeth. Composite resin is completely safe and will remain strong for years after placement. Best of all, there is no metal (in particular, mercury) component to composite resin.

The Advantages of Composite Resin

Compared to metal amalgam, composite resin fillings are the unequivocal choice if you seek a restoration option that will look as natural as possible and blend seamlessly with your smile. When you open your mouth, there will be no shiny silver metal or any other apparent sign that you have a filling in place. Aside from the obvious benefit a composite resin filling provides when it comes to appearance, other advantages include the following:

• Because there are no temperature-sensitive metals contained within a composite resin filling, you do not need to worry about it contracting or expanding with temperature
• Composite resin fillings are very strong and provide the durability you need
• The risk of developing a secondary cavity due to possible movement of the filling is very minimal due to it being bonded in place to the tooth
• There is minimal removal of tooth required before filling placement

While the ideal situation would be one where you do not need a filling in the first place, nearly everybody eventually gets a cavity. To minimize your chances of developing a cavity, Dr. Swift and Dr. Petty recommend that you have a good at-home dental hygiene routine and visit your dentist twice a year for an exam and dental cleaning.

How Are Composite Resin Fillings Applied?

Before work on your tooth can begin, it will need to receive a numbing agent via local anesthetic. Once the area has been completely numbed, the decay will be drilled away from the tooth. Once this is completed, the tooth will be completely clean. The composite resin will then be applied to the tooth. This is done in layers. Each layer will be cured by a special light as it is bonded to the tooth. This work will culminate in a perfectly discreet yet strong restoration.

Schedule An Appointment

If you are in the Dallas, TX, area and need to have a cavity filled, please call Dallas Laser Dentistry at 469 838 5292 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mary Swift or Dr. Morgan Petty. You can learn more about white fillings at our webpage tooth-colored-fillings.

Share this Article