Composite Fillings

If you have a decayed or damaged tooth, composite fillings are a durable, natural-looking tooth repair that blends into your smile so no one will ever know you had a dental restoration. At Atlantis Dental in Framingham, MA, Dr. Sumbul Naqvi uses composite fillings to correct and repair problem teeth.

PROBLEMS COMPOSITE FILLINGS CAN FIX

Tooth-colored fillings can do so much more than just fix a cavity. If you have any of the following structural or cosmetic complaints, a composite filling could be a viable solution:

• Tooth decay
• Chipped tooth
• Cracked tooth
• Discolored or stained tooth
• Gapped teeth

Opting for a composite filling can often eliminate the need for invasive restorative dentistry or advanced cosmetic dentistry. Fillings improve both the health and appearance of your tooth without taking a large bite out of your budget.

Composite fillings not only fix existing problems, they are used as a preventive dentistry measure too to keep decay from developing and stop a tooth from deteriorating. Opting for a small filling now or fixing a tooth with a minor defect can protect your oral health from developing bigger and more painful problems later.

Many patients with existing silver fillings opt to have them replaced with composite fillings. Silver amalgam fillings are unsightly, can cause damage or discoloration, and contain toxic mercury. With a tooth-colored filling, you can correct a tooth and make it stronger at the same time.

THE COMPOSITE FILLING PROCEDURE

Fillings are a common dental restoration and your Framingham dentist is highly experienced at repairing teeth with this method.

The procedure begins by numbing the area around the affected tooth, followed by the removal of the decayed portion of the tooth. If your restoration is not targeting decay but only minor damage, you may not need a numbing agent at all. This is a conversation you and your dentist will have before the procedure begins to ensure that you are comfortable with how things will progress.

Because of their composition – a liquid resin embedded with finely ground glass particles – composite fillings can be placed on a tooth in thin layers, which preserves more of the natural tooth and slowly forms the final filling. By also blending into the tooth structure, composite fillings check both the functional and aesthetic boxes, which makes them especially appealing as a restoration for more visible tooth defects or decay.

Once the composite has been hardened and cured with a special blue light – a step that takes only seconds – the filling will be smoothed and polished to a high shine that reflects the beauty of natural enamel and results in a strong, smooth, conservative, invisible restoration. Your dentist will also check your bite to ensure that it is comfortable and no part of the filling is noticeable.

A SMALL SOLUTION WITH BIG BENEFITS

Tooth-colored fillings are designed to stabilize tooth structure, which means they not only take care of the tooth in question but also protect neighboring teeth from deterioration. One decayed tooth can compromise nearby teeth if it is not addressed quickly, leading to bigger problems over time and the need for restorations like root canal therapy and, if an infection is severe, tooth extraction.

Your dentist will always do everything possible to save a tooth before reverting to extraction, and that includes tending to cavities and damage early using tooth-colored fillings. If you suspect trouble with a tooth, or if your dentist recommends a filling sooner rather than later, take action as soon as possible to correct the issue.

Contact Atlantis Dental to schedule an appointment and find out more about tooth-colored fillings and the best ways to take care of your oral health.