Creating Natural Looking, Healthy Smiles
Today, our patients are choosing tooth-colored composite restorations, hands-down! Many years ago, the only option to fill a cavity was to use a gold or silver amalgam restoration. At Peace Haven Family Dentistry, we’re helping our patients choose better with a more natural-looking filling. And we’re helping our patients create a more natural, healthy smile!
Tooth-colored composite restorations can be used for several purposes:
- Filling a cavity
- Replacing defective gold or silver (amalgam) fillings
- Restoring chipped or broken teeth
- Changing a tooth’s shape to fill a gap and enhance your smile
What is a tooth-colored composite?
Tooth-colored fillings are made with durable composite plastic, glass, and resins. These resins create a strong, long-lasting bond directly with your tooth. And they look and feel just like your normal teeth.
A tooth-colored composite matches the color of your original teeth. So you can talk, laugh, and smile without worrying about showing a mouthful of silver. And since you won’t notice the difference, neither will anyone else!
Tooth-colored composite restorations have proven to be durable and resistant to wear. Since the composite resin is chemically bonded to your original tooth, the tooth structure is further strengthened and may prevent decay and further damage.
Can I replace my current fillings with a tooth-colored composite?
Yes! Many patients in the Winston-Salem, NC, area are coming to us to replace those old silver amalgam fillings. The new tooth-colored composite restores their teeth to a more natural looking color. And for the first time in years, they are laughing and smiling with confidence!
How is a tooth-colored composite placed?
A composite can be placed on your front or back teeth. Your Peace Haven dentist will adhere the tooth-colored composite to your tooth in layers. We’ll use a specially designed light that hardens each layer. After we have applied enough of the composite, we will reshape and polish your tooth to ensure proper function and comfort.
Your tooth-colored composite filling can be placed in a single office visit, just like any other cavity filling. And we can also fill several cavities at the same appointment.
What are the advantages of tooth-colored fillings?
The best advantage of a composite filling is a natural looking, beautiful smile. Your Peace Haven dentist can blend shades to create a realistic looking filling color that is nearly identical to the color of your real teeth.
Composites also create a strong bond to your original tooth. This bond supports your normal tooth structure and helps prevent breakage and other tooth damage. A composite may even help insulate your tooth against temperature changes from food and drink.
Ultimately, prevention is the best medicine. A few precautions can decrease your risk of cavities and other dental diseases:
- Brush at least twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste
- Floss daily
- Eat a balanced diet
- Visit your dentist regularly
- Avoid sweets and soda
- Avoid sticky, chewy foods, etc.