is nothing quite as alarming as being told that you need a dental filling while you are at our office for a routine checkup. While tooth decay is quite common, affecting over 90 percent of all American adults, over one in four people are failing to get the much-needed treatment for this common condition.
We here at Cane Bay Family Dentistry understand that the concept of getting a dental filling can be somewhat scary, but we want to assure you that this procedure is safe, easy, and comfortable to you. Furthermore, with the introduction of tooth-colored fillings, nobody even needs to know what you ever had a cavity in the first place!
Dental fillings used to be comprised exclusively of amalgam, a filling material that was made from a mixture of various metals such as tin, silver, and mercury. Due to health and safety concerns about amalgam, however, tooth-colored fillings are growing in popularity.
Tooth-colored fillings are typically made out of two main types of materials. We typically reach for composite resin or porcelain for our tooth-colored fillings. Depending on the location of the filling, we may choose one type of material over the other. While composite resin is a natural-looking material, it may be more fragile and brittle than porcelain. However, it can be used on visible front teeth. Porcelain is stronger and more durable and can be used on both front teeth and back teeth.
There are many advantages to using tooth-colored fillings over other materials. For instance, because it contains no metal and no mercury, many patients feel safer using composite resin and porcelain. Tooth-colored fillings are also a great choice for patients who may have metal allergies, as they are biocompatible and do not cause allergic reactions like metal materials might.
Tooth-colored fillings are also subtler and more discreet than metal fillings. That makes them ideal for tooth decay on your front teeth, reducing any embarrassment that you may have about needing a dental filling. Tooth-colored fillings such as porcelain and composite resin are also a more conservative treatment option for tooth decay. This is because metal fillings often require that we remove more teeth to place the filling, which can be harmful to the tooth.
On the other hand, tooth-colored fillings require less of your natural tooth to be removed. They are also quite strong, which means that they can last you a long time if you take good care of them. Finally, metal fillings can expand and contract with heat and cold exposure in your mouth. Not only can that make your teeth sensitive, but it can also increase their risk of breaking.
If you have told that you may need dental fillings or feel you might have a cavity, then you may be a good candidate for getting a tooth-colored filling to restore your affected tooth.
To learn more about the many benefits of this natural-looking and attractive filling material, or to set up an appointment with us here at Cane Bay Family Dentistry, please give us a call today at (843) 352-4454!
