Fillings are one of the most common dental procedures performed. A vast majority of adults have dealt with at least one cavity during their lives. For a long time, dealing with cavities meant unsightly amalgam fillings. Today, however, things are a bit different. At Wanserski Dental Center for Complex Dentistry, we can help to restore the health of a tooth affected by a cavity and improve the quality of your smile with composite fillings.
What is a Composite Filling Made Of?
Composite fillings are also called tooth-colored fillings or white fillings. They period from a mixture of different materials, which includes plastic and fine particles of glass. Unlike amalgam fillings, they do not have any metal components and they do not contain mercury either.
What Benefits Does a Composite Filling Offer?
One of the benefits that composite fillings offer is aesthetics. There are many shades of composite resin, which allows us to choose a shade that matches the color of your actual tooth. This provides for a seamless, natural restoration to your oral health as well as your smile. You can have these fillings placed in your front teeth and no one would ever be the wiser.
Aesthetics are just one benefit. Composite fillings
bond with your natural tooth, meaning you require less drilling. For some cavities, you may not even need a local anesthetic. It also means we can preserve more of your natural tooth structure.
You do not have the same restrictions with composite fillings that you do with amalgam. With amalgam fillings, you might have restrictions on the types of foods you can eat for a short period of time after the filling has been placed, as well as how to brush around the filling. With composite fillings, you pretty much have no restrictions. Once the local anesthetic has worn off, you can resume your life as normal.
Composite fillings do not expand and contract with temperature fluctuations like amalgam does. This means that your tooth does not have the same risk for cracking that a tooth filling with an amalgam filling does. If you currently have amalgam fillings, it may even be possible to remove them and then replace them with composite ones.
Are Composite Fillings Safe?
Some patients do express concerns regarding BPA with composite fillings. The amount of BPA present, if any at all, is as. Most people are exposed to higher levels of BPA from plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic wraps, and canned products such as sodas. In general, composite fillings are believed to be very safe. But if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak with us during your appointment.
Do Composite Fillings Cost More than Amalgam?
Composite fillings do cost more than amalgam fillings, but the price differential is not all that significant. Most patients are willing to pay a little bit more to enjoy the many amazing benefits that composite fillings have to offer. You can also speak with your dental insurance provider to see if composite fillings are eligible for coverage.
If you have a cavity and need a filling, a composite filling can be an incredibly effective
treatment for improving your oral health as well as your smile. For more information, and to schedule your appointment, call Wanserski Dental Center for Complex Dentistry at (715) 848-2435 today.
