(412) 854-2310Tooth-Colored Fillings – Pittsburgh, PA
Treating Cavities Without Bringing Attention to Them
In the past, in order to treat a cavity, dentists used metal fillings that drew attention to damaged teeth and caused a variety of issues, such as dental sensitivity. Nowadays, Dr. Dan Rairigh uses the latest techniques and treatments, including tooth-colored fillings, to help restore his patients’ oral health without making them feel self-conscious about their smile. With routine preventive dental care, our team is able to find and treat cavities before they have a chance to turn into something more serious, like a tooth infection. We use tooth-colored fillings to do this because they offer a variety of unique benefits outside of being more aesthetically appealing than bulky-looking amalgam fillings.
What are Tooth-Colored Fillings?
Amalgam fillings came before tooth-colored composite fillings. These were comprised of a blend of metals that contained mercury, silver, tin, and copper, which caused them to appear darker than natural teeth and highly noticeable. Fortunately, nowadays, dentistry has gravitated towards a safer and less obviously noticeable solution called tooth-colored fillings. They’re made from a biocompatible material called composite resin, which is comprised of fine particles of glass and plastic. This allows the material to chemically bond with your existing tooth structure, unlike amalgam fillings, making them more effective as well as safer to use.
Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings
When we treat our patients’ oral health problems, we don’t want to draw attention to that area of their mouth or make it stick out. With tooth-colored fillings, we’re able to make cavities blend into the rest of their smile while protecting teeth from additional damage. This treatment has countless other advantages to offer, including:
- Preservation of Natural Tooth Structure: Amalgam fillings aren’t as easily moldable and customizable like composite resin fillings are. In order to place the metal compound, more of the existing tooth structure has to be removed for it to securely fit. Because tooth-colored fillings are made from biocompatible material, it easily bonds with the tooth with minimal preparation required.
- Reduced Dental Sensitivity: The biocompatible material used for tooth-colored fillings creates a strong and long-lasting bond with your tooth, which makes it more effective at protecting the nerves inside of it. This prevents dental sensitivity.
- Better Protection: A stronger bonded filling helps protect the inner portion of the tooth from being attacked by harmful oral bacteria and causing an infection.
The Process of Getting a Filling
Getting a filling is quick, easy, and simple. Once we identify a cavity, we act quickly to treat the issue and protect your tooth. First, our dentist in Pittsburgh will numb the area and remove any decayed tooth debris. Once the area has been sanitized, we’ll use a special shading chart to determine what color of composite resin will match the closest to your natural tooth enamel. We’ll fill the putty-like material in the decayed area of the tooth and harden it using an ultraviolet light. After making sure that your bite is even, we’ll make final adjustments and polish your teeth.
If you have any questions about what it’s like getting a tooth-colored filling, or would like to schedule a checkup and cleaning to see if you have any lingering cavities, contact our office today!