Natural-Looking Dental Fillings in Huntersville
Whenever you experience a cavity with your tooth, you'll likely need to have a filling installed. Also referred to as dental restoratives, fillings are artificial substances that work to restore the shape and stability of teeth. Over the years, new substances have been developed to provide more natural-looking fillings for patients.
When Are Tooth Colored Fillings Necessary?
Dental restoratives are used as a method to reinforce teeth and prevent further damage. These fillings are necessary for many different reasons, including to:
- Restore eroded/worn teeth
- Fill tooth decay holes
- Protect broken/injured teeth from decay
If you fit into any of the categories that we discussed above, you're likely a good candidate for a dental filling. This type of procedure is fairly quick to perform and is a chosen method for helping to protect the integrity of existing teeth.
The Procedure for Tooth Colored Fillings
When undergoing this procedure, your surrounding gums will be injected with a local anesthetic by our dentist. This will prevent the onset of pain throughout the procedure. Before the filling substance is put into the tooth, any tooth decay that is present must be removed.
Once the tooth decay is completely removed from your tooth by Dr. Hill, the area will be thoroughly cleaned out, washed, and dried off. Next, the filling substance is inserted into the affected area of your tooth with the objective of restoring the tooth's original shape.
Once filled, a special bonding light is utilized to harden the filling material. Next, our dentist will polish the filling to make it look even more natural. The whole procedure can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size and number of fillings that are completed.
Materials of Tooth Colored Fillings
When you need to get a tooth filled, you have various options. You'll want to avoid a gold or amalgam filling as they're comprised of metals that will be metallic in color. Instead, you'll want to opt for a composite or glass ionomer filling. Both produce a tooth colored filling that will not be overly visible to the naked eye.
A glass ionomer filling is typically used for baby teeth and as a temporary filling. This substance is essentially a flexible paste that bonds to the tooth and acts as a sealant. It also is comprised of fluoride that is slowly released over time and works to prevent future tooth decay in that area. Unfortunately, glass ionomer isn't very durable, so it's not a long-term solution for tooth repair.
Composite is the most popular substance used for tooth colored fillings. These are constructed of resin and powdered glass filler. The composite easily bonds to your tooth and instills additional support. This material is very versatile and aesthetically pleasing. It's also very strong, which makes it perfect for a permanent filling.
If you're interested in getting tooth colored fillings, you can trust Dr. Hill at Afton Dental to get the job done!