Fillings
White Fillings Won’t Tarnish Your Smile
It’s the moment that many dental patients wait for, curious about how effective their home hygiene regimen has been. It’s the moment when the dentist declares whether or not she has found any cavities. Even if you brush and floss regularly, you may still develop cavities. Filling cavities is one of the most common restorative procedures that we perform.
The most common way to correct tooth decay is by applying fillings over affected teeth. The fillings we use in our practice are composite resin (tooth-colored) fillings.
What is Composite Resin?
Composite resin is a metal-free bonded material that is painted onto the tooth’s surface. The resin can be customized to a shade that matches the natural color of your teeth. The liquid is cured with a light or chemical catalyst. Once it dries and adheres to the tooth, the resin not only is strong and impervious to further decay, but it also blends seamlessly in with your natural teeth. When Dr. Staten is through, the only people who will be able to tell that you have fillings are you and your dental team.
What About Silver Fillings?
Amalgam fillings (also known as silver fillings) actually are not made of silver, but are comprised of a mixture of several types of metal. These fillings are still widely used by many dentists. In our practice, we have chosen to offer only composite-resin fillings. There is nothing wrong with amalgam fillings. Dr. Staten simply prefers composite resin fillings, primarily because they provide a more natural, seamless look.