Composite Fillings
Barrie, Ontario - Canada
Silver is a beautiful metal for jewelry, but it is not so attractive in your smile. Millions of people in years past had silver fillings in their teeth to keep tooth decay from spreading and causing tooth loss. Now you can forego silver fillings in exchange for a more natural-looking alternative: white fillings. Cosmetic dentist Dr. Adam Chapnick offers white fillings as replacements to old silver fillings or as new dental restorations.
White fillings are sometimes called tooth-colored fillings or composite fillings. The material used to fill dental cavities is composite resin, a material that is similar in texture to putty. The composite resin is not truly white; it is available in a wide range of shades that can be matched to your own tooth color. White fillings blend flawlessly with your natural tooth so they are virtually invisible.
White Fillings vs. Silver Fillings
The obvious difference between white fillings and silver fillings is their color. But there are other significant advantages of white fillings. You may be surprised to learn that traditional silver amalgam fillings contain Mercury in addition to a number of other metals. There is much debate over the use of mercury for fillings. The concern over potentially dangerous toxin levels in mercury has shifted many dentists away from using this material for dental fillings.
Metal fillings are not specially bonded to your tooth like white fillings are. Unlike metal fillings, which have a tendency to become loose and fall out, white fillings actually make your tooth stronger. You do not have to worry about having a white filling fall out.
When you consume hot and cold foods and beverages, silver fillings expand and contract with the temperature changes. This can cause tooth fractures and require you to have future dental work performed on the same tooth.
How White Fillings Work
You will probably not notice any difference between receiving a silver filling and a white filling. The area will be numbed with a local anesthetic and Dr. Chapnick and his team will remove the tooth decay and bacteria. Less of your tooth structure must be removed in order to fill a cavity using composite resin, so you may spend less time in the dentist’s chair.
The tooth is then isolated from saliva and composite resin fills the treated area of your tooth. When the appropriate amount of resin has been used, it is hardened with a special light to bond the material directly on your tooth.
If you live in the Barrie, area and would like to learn more about how white fillings can help preserve your teeth in the most beautiful way possible, please contact the dental team at Molson Park Dental Office for a consultation with Dr. Adam Chapnick.
