Cavities aren’t just destructive infections that can lead to tooth loss and other even more devastating health complications. They are also unsightly blemishes in a beautiful smile. Thankfully, dentists have been able to repair cavities with fillings for hundreds of years. For much of that time, most of these restorations were made from a blend of metals called amalgam. While this treatment is effective, it can appear as unappealing dark metallic spots on the teeth. Here are some aesthetic and practical reasons why you might be interested in a tooth-colored filling the next time you need a cavity repaired.
Tooth-Colored Fillings Don’t Show in Your Smile
As you might guess by the name, a tooth-colored filling is designed to match the color of the tooth it restores, allowing it to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the smile. Amalgam fillings, on the other hand, clearly appear as a dark silver color. This can make these metal-based restorations rather conspicuous when the patient smiles or laughs.
Tooth-colored fillings can discreetly restore your smile so that you can show off your teeth without displaying your restorations. They can be made to match the shade of the patient’s natural enamel and shaped to be completely flush with the contours of the patient’s teeth.
Tooth-Colored Fillings Form a Better Bond with the Existing Enamel
Amalgam fillings can restore much of a tooth’s natural strength, but they require the destruction of some healthy tooth structure in order to hold their place securely. Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, are made from a composite resin, a blend of plastic and microscopic glass particles that can form a stronger bond with the surrounding tooth enamel. This allows more healthy tooth structure to be preserved while they are being placed.
Tooth-Colored Fillings Contain No Heavy Metals
Amalgam is a blend of heavy metals including zinc, copper, silver, and mercury. Mercury is a highly toxic substance with no known safe level of exposure. In fact, should an amalgam filling ever need to be removed, the process involves special precautions for everyone involved to prevent exposure to mercury vapor. Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, contain no heavy metals, allowing them to be removed without any fear of mercury poisoning.
Well-cared-for amalgam fillings can be expected to last for up to fifteen years, but tooth-colored fillings can last even longer than that with excellent care. Consulting with your dentist can help determine which filling is right for you and how you can take care of it so it lasts as long as it can.
About the Practice
Texas Dentistry and Braces strives to help patients maintain healthy smiles for a lifetime in Terrell, TX. Led by a skilled team of six dentists, the staff effectively treats everyone who comes through the front door with a friendly, gentle touch. Areas of expertise include general, pediatric, cosmetic, emergency, and restorative dentistry such as tooth-colored fillings. To learn more about tooth-colored fillings, contact the office online or dial (972) 563-9444.