Dental Fillings

Fillings are one of the most common procedures we perform at our dental practice. When a tooth is broken or decayed, we replace the damaged or diseased part with a filling to restore its function and appearance.

While we still place a few silver fillings when necessary or upon request, most of our fillings are bonded composites. These composite fillings provide several advantages, such as reduced sensitivity and lower likelihood of fractures.

Benefits of Composite/Resin Fillings

• Natural Appearance: Composite fillings offer a near-perfect color match to your natural teeth, ensuring a seamless and natural look. You can smile confidently without worrying about visible fillings.
• Better Bonding: Composite fillings bond more effectively to your teeth, helping to restore the tooth’s natural strength. This improves durability and helps maintain the integrity of the tooth over time.
• Future Repairs: Composite fillings can be easily added if further issues, such as additional decay, develop. This flexibility allows for simpler and more cost-effective dental care in the future.

Moving Beyond Silver Fillings

In our practice, the use of silver-mercury fillings has significantly declined. Over time, old silver fillings can darken teeth and act like wedges, often leading to fractures. Additionally, there are concerns about mercury contamination with these types of fillings.

When it comes time to replace an old silver filling, we often recommend replacing all restorations in that arch. The transformation from a mouth filled with silver fillings to one with white-bonded filling replacements is remarkable. Your smile will immediately brighten as the gray silver fillings are removed.

Before and After: The Impact of Composite Fillings

In the photograph below, you can see the difference composite fillings make. The back two teeth were previously filled with dark silver-mercury fillings, which we replaced with beautiful bonded restorations.

The result is a brighter, more natural-looking smile.

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