Composite Fillings A Modern Solution for Dental Care Achieve a Natural Look

Composite fillings, which are also known as tooth colored fillings Madison AL, are dental restorations made from a resin composite material that is designed to match the natural color of teeth. They offer a popular alternative to traditional amalgam (silver) fillings, resulting in a more visually appealing, naturally-looking smile.

They can be utilized to fill in decayed areas of the teeth, as well as to assist in repairing chipped or broken teeth. Many dentists opt for composite restorations to repair the teeth near the front of the mouth, since they are more visible when patients smile. Advances in dental technology and the make-up of tooth colored fillings Madison AL have enabled dentists to also use tooth-colored fillings on molars, which experience greater wear than other teeth.

What can I Anticipate if Dentist Determines a Composite Filling is Suitable for Me?

During your visit, your gums and teeth will be numbed with a local anesthetic where the tooth colored fillings Madison AL will take place. Once the area has numbed, the decayed or damaged part of your teeth will be removed to make space for the new tooth-colored filling. A resin will be applied over the area and cured using a handheld light within less than a minute. The new filling will then undergo shaping and polishing before the procedure is finished.

Post-Procedure Care

Tooth colored fillings Madison AL are typically hardened with a light source at your dentist's office. You should be able to resume normal activities and oral care as soon as your visit is completed. Normal sensitivity to hot and cold in treated teeth may occur in the days after treatment, but sensitivity lasting more than a week should be brought to the attention of your dentist.

Types of Dental Fillings

Amalgam

Composed of a blend of silver, tin, zinc, copper and mercury. The mixture is comprised of nearly 50% Mercury.

Classifications: Conventional (non-covalent)

Designed for: Fillings in the back teeth.

Typically lasts for 10 years or more, often extending beyond that timeframe.

Least expensive type of restorative material costs.

Composite Resin

Consists of a blend of plastic and fine glass particles.

Forms: Direct and indirect. Your dentist places direct fillings using a bright blue light to harden the soft material. For indirect fillings, the dentist prepares the tooth and then takes an impression of it. The laboratory or the dentist will then make the filling from the mold. On a second visit, your dentist secures this filling in position with cement.

Used for small and large fillings, especially in the front teeth or visible parts of teeth, as well as inlays.

Must last for at least five years.

The costs are higher than those of amalgam fillings, but lower than gold ones.

Cast Gold

Composed of a gold alloy, which is gold mixed with other metals.

These restorations are commonly used for inlays, onlays, and crowns.

Typically lasts for at least 15 years and often for a longer duration.

Compared to most other materials, costs are higher; amalgam is 6 to 10 times less expensive.

Ceramics

Primarily composed of: Porcelain.

These restorations are used for inlays and onlays, crowns, veneers, implants, and orthodontic brackets.

Has lasted for more than seven years.

Prices can range higher than composite materials and are equivalent to or surpass those of gold, depending on the type of filling.

Glass Ionomer

It is composed of acrylic and fluoroaluminosilicate glass.

In traditional fillings, the material hardens in the absence of a bright light. Resin-modified or hybrid composite glass ionomer fillings are more robust than conventional ones. A bright blue light is employed to initiate the material's treatment process.

It is primarily used as a cement for inlays and fillings in dentistry. It is also used for fillings in front teeth, or around the necks of teeth, or in the roots. Glass ionomer is commonly employed as a filling material for people with significant decay in the tooth section that extends beneath the gum (root caries). Additionally, it is used for filling baby teeth and as a liner for other types of dental fillings.