It wasn’t that long ago that fixing a cavity meant going home with a bit of metal gleaming in your teeth. Gold, silver, and even tin alloys were all common materials for fillings. Eventually porcelain became available and then, in the 1990s, composite fillings that could be dyed to match the color of the recipient’s tooth. These seem like an obvious improvement, but they pose an important question: do tooth-colored fillings look natural?
From a distance it may seem that most teeth are the same color, unless they belong to someone fond of tooth whitening procedures. But the truth is that every person’s smile is its own unique shade that tells a story. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks can all stain tooth enamel as can certain habits like smoking.
A natural composite feeling depends entirely on whoever mixes tint into the base composite material. Without experience and attention to detail, the color mix will come out wrong. Luckily there is a dentist in Anaheim that ensures proper attention is paid to such details. And we’re proud to offer composite fillings because their benefits don’t stop at the superficial.
Tooth-colored fillings are otherwise known as composite fillings because they are a combination of small ceramic and plastic particles. This mixture prevents them from expanding and contracting, unlike metal fillings. Over time metal fillings can actually contribute to cracked teeth as they repeatedly expand and contract in reaction to the food you eat. But your composite fillings stay the same, offering further protection for your teeth.
Metal fillings are usually limited to filling cavities. But composite fillings have a wider range of applications, all of which can be addressed at once if necessary. Composite fillings can fill cavities, mend cracks and chips, and even reshape malformed or decayed teeth. Covering multiple procedures at once means you make the most of your time when you schedule an appointment for dental fillings in Anaheim.
Traditional metal fillings cannot be applied until the damaged edges of the patient’s natural tooth have been trimmed and shaped. Composite fillings don’t require the same level of preparation, leaving more of the patient’s original tooth intact while repairing the damaged area.
Unlike metal fillings, composite fillings are applied in layers. Each layer must fully dry before the next layer is applied, giving the dental team plenty of time to correct any placement issues and personalize the fit of the filling. This may result in a longer application process but it’s well worth it at the end when the patient walks away with a perfectly fitted tooth repair.
Few people – if any – actually enjoy getting a filling. That’s why it’s important for filling materials to last. Composite fillings more than deliver with a lifespan of ten to twelve years, depending on the quality of care given to the surrounding tooth. If the tooth decays from fresh bacteria, the filling won’t last as long. But with proper dental hygiene, it may be more than a decade before a composite filling needs to be replaced.
Amalgam metal fillings can trigger allergic reactions in some people. They can also contain trace amounts of mercury which may lead to exposure complications. Composite fillings, on the other hand, contain no known allergens or toxins. They will not set off the kind of reactions sometimes seen with metal fillings.
If you want natural-looking fillings or need another tooth repair that you think composite fillings may effectively treat, call us today.
