Metal fillings have long been used to treat dental cavities and restore dental health, but they aren't the most aesthetically pleasing treatment option. Fortunately, advances in dentistry have led to durable tooth-colored fillings, eliminating the need for noticeable dark metal fillings and restoring the appearance of damaged teeth. Many modern general dentistry treatments, like tooth-colored fillings, place equal importance on aesthetics and restored health. Learn how tooth-colored fillings can enhance your smile in this overview of tooth-colored filling benefits from our Lansdale, PA dentists, Drs. David Kaffey and Mark Weinstein.
The Aesthetic Benefits of Tooth-colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings are made of a tooth-colored composite resin material. These restorations offer a number of benefits, including:
- Aesthetically pleasing: Tooth-colored fillings blend with the surrounding tooth structure, creating a flawless, unnoticeable finish, unlike metal fillings.
- Customized: Each tooth-colored filling is customized to match the shade of the surrounding teeth, providing the most cosmetically appealing option for treating dental cavities.
- May be used to replace old fillings: Old metal fillings can be replaced with new tooth-colored fillings, restoring the smile's natural beauty.
- Won't discolor the teeth: Over time, silver amalgam fillings can discolor the teeth, giving them a gray tint. Tooth-colored fillings won't discolor the teeth, keeping the smile beautiful for many years to come.
- Improved confidence: Tooth-colored fillings can improve your confidence by restoring the smile's appearance. Replacing metal fillings with tooth-colored fillings allows you to smile with the confidence because no one else will be able to tell that you have undergone restorative work.
The Oral Health Benefits of Tooth-colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings offer many obvious cosmetic benefits, but they are also beneficial for your oral health. Tooth-colored fillings help strengthen the teeth, prevent further damage, and protect the teeth from many of the problems associated with metal fillings. Some of these benefits include:
- Prevents further tooth decay: Tooth-colored fillings stop dental cavities from progressing, protecting the teeth from further decay.
- Restores dental strength: Tooth-colored fillings are directly bonded to the teeth, restoring dental strength and structure.
- Preserves the tooth: Because tooth-colored fillings are directly bonded to the teeth, less of the tooth's structure needs to be removed to accommodate placement. This is an improvement over metal fillings, which often require large portions of a tooth to be removed in order to fit within a dental cavity.
- Does not damage the teeth like metal fillings: Silver metal fillings can damage the teeth due to their tendency to expand and contract when exposed to temperature fluctuations. Over time, the expansion and contraction of silver fillings can lead to cracks or fractures forming within the tooth. Tooth-colored fillings won't expand or contract, making them safer for the teeth.
- Durable: Tooth-colored fillings are extremely durable and can last well over ten years.
Schedule a Consultation
To find out if tooth-colored fillings are right for you, or to learn more about other dental treatments, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Drs. Kaffey and Weinstein.