Composite Fillings: Restoring Your Smile, Naturally

Dental Fillings Rochester Hills

Dental fillings are a safe, effective way to repair teeth that have decay or other forms of damage. And at Elegant Edge Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, we specialize in leveraging the latest advances in technology with the aim of providing our patients with natural-looking fillings that restore the health and beauty of their smiles.

What Are Dental Fillings?

Dental fillings, also known as dental restorations, are materials placed inside a tooth to rebuild, repair, and strengthen areas that have been damaged by decay or injury. Over time, fillings have evolved to use tooth-colored materials that blend in seamlessly with your natural teeth.

The most likely reasons why you may need dental fillings in Rochester Hills include:

  • Tooth Decay: Bacteria in your mouth produce acids that break down tooth enamel and cause cavities or holes to form. Cracked or Broken Teeth: Cracks or fractures from trauma or biting down too hard can weaken your tooth structure.
  • Worn-Down Teeth: If you grind your teeth or have other habits like nail-biting or chewing on pens, you may wear down some of your tooth surfaces.
The Benefits of Composite Fillings

Types of Dental Filling Materials

There are a few different materials used for fillings, each with its own benefits. Common options include:.

Metal Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam is a durable mixture of mercury, silver, copper, tin, and zinc that has been used for over 150 years. It is inexpensive, can withstand a lot of pressure from chewing, and lasts many years.

The main drawback of metal amalgam dental fillings is the amalgam’s silver hue, which stands out next to white teeth. Mercury has also caused some health concerns, although the ADA considers amalgam cavity filling safe.

Composite Resin Fillings

Composite resin is a tooth-colored filling material made from plastic, quartz, or glass particles blended in a putty-like resin. Sometimes called “white fillings” or “tooth-colored fillings”, composites match the shade of your natural teeth.

Composites bond tightly to the inner walls of your tooth and can last many years. They are used for both front and back teeth fillings. Compared to other filling options, composite resin fillings have excellent aesthetic qualities.

Glass Ionomer Cement

Glass ionomer cements are made from acrylic acids mixed with fine glass particles and used for small fillings below the gumline or for temporary fillings. They release fluoride to help prevent further decay. However, glass ionomers wear down faster than amalgam or composite.

Gold Foil Fillings

Gold foil fillings are made from pure gold molded into very thin sheets and gently pressed into the cavity. They fit tightly against the tooth and form a solid, durable filling that can last over 20 years. Their metallic color is visible when you smile though.

The Benefits of Modern Composite Dental Fillings

Dental fillings have changed a lot in recent decades with huge leaps in bonding technology. The latest composite resins mimic the look, feel, and function of healthy tooth structure better than ever before.

There are so many reasons to choose tooth-colored composite resin as your filling material:

  • Natural Aesthetics: Composite cavity fillings are specially colored to expertly match your surrounding tooth shade, hiding any signs of fillings.
  • Mercury-Free: Composite fillings provide a safe mercury-free solution.
  • Strong and Durable: Modern dental composites bond tightly to your tooth with exceptional strength.
  • Preserves Tooth Structure: Our dentists use conservative techniques that remove very little of the healthy tooth. This is unlike when using non-conservative treatments like tooth extractions.
  • Single Visit Fillings: We can often complete composite fillings in one comfortable, efficient visit.
  • Stain Resistant: Composite materials resist stains from coffee, tea, red wine, and other foods far better than amalgam fillings.
  • Enhances Your Smile: Since composites mimic the translucency of real teeth, they have a life-like luster that improves your smile’s appearance.

With advanced composite filling techniques, we can beautifully restore damaged or decayed teeth for reliable, long-lasting results that keep your smile healthy and vibrant.

The Procedure

What to Expect When Getting Composite Fillings

Getting a natural-looking composite filling to repair a cavity or tooth fracture is a straightforward, relatively quick process. We make the experience as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Here’s an overview of what happens during a composite filling at our Rochester Hills dental office:

Numbing and Isolation

We start by applying a topical anesthetic to the area we’ll be working on to keep you comfortable. Once the tooth is numb, we’ll gently place a rubber device called a dental dam around the tooth to keep it clean and dry.

Tooth Preparation

Using a high-speed drill, we’ll remove any decay material from inside the tooth, shaping and cleaning out the cavity so it can hold the new filling. We remove only as much of the tooth structure as absolutely necessary to place a durable, lasting composite filling.

Applying the Composite Material

To match your tooth shade perfectly, we’ll select a composite resin in a natural hue. The putty-like material gets sculpted and molded into the right shape and thickness needed to fill your cavity.

Using Light to Set the Composite

We use a special curing light to activate and harden each layer of composite material until the filling has completely and securely bonded to your tooth.

Finishing and Polishing

Finally, we shape, contour, and polish the composite to a smooth finish that matches your tooth’s anatomy precisely. The filling will look and feel completely natural.

Placing a resin composite filling takes less than an hour for a single tooth cavity – you’ll be amazed at how seamless it looks when we’re done!

Your New Smile

Caring for Your Composite Fillings

With proper oral hygiene at home, your natural-looking composite fillings can last between 5 to 15 years. Follow these tips to get the most longevity from your tooth-colored fillings:

  • Brush carefully – Gently brush morning and night using soft circular motions to clean the composite surface without damaging it. Avoid aggressive back-and-forth brush strokes.
  • Floss thoroughly – Floss at least once per day, taking care to floss next to the filling without snapping the floss down.
  • Watch sugary/acidic foods – While today’s dental composites resist staining, frequent snacking on staining culprits could still discolored fillings over time. Things like coffee, berries, and red wine are common staining risks.
  • Get on-time dental checkups – We’ll want to examine your fillings at your routine dental visits to ensure they remain securely bonded and decay-free. Small issues are far easier to fix when caught early!

With careful oral hygiene and regular dental visits, it’s reasonable to expect 5+ years from a composite filling, often much longer for posterior fillings. Composite materials and bonding methods continue improving too.

If you notice temperature sensitivity, pain, or changes around an existing filling, schedule an appointment so we can evaluate whether a repair or replacement is needed.

Transforming Dentistry with Cutting-Edge Laser Technology!

Contact Us

You deserve a smile that you feel good about. And so if decay, fractures, or worn areas are compromising your smile, let dental experts at Elegant Edge Cosmetic & Family Dentistry help you restore it. Contact us today for caring, comfortable composite fillings meticulously designed for results that look and feel beautifully real.

Call us at (248) 773-3465 to schedule your consultation.

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