Tooth-colored fillings offer a more attractive way to restore teeth damaged by decay. Our Mesa, AZ, dentist, Dr. Julee Weidner, shares some information about tooth-colored fillings and discusses the benefits of the filling material.

What are tooth-colored fillings?

Silver amalgam is rapidly being replaced by composite resin as the most common filling material. Composite resin, a durable compound composed of glass ionomer and acrylic resin, is tinted to match the most common tooth shades. Because your filling looks just like the surrounding enamel, no one will know that you’ve ever had any dental work.

Are tooth colored fillings a good choice?

Tooth-colored fillings don’t just look better than silver amalgam fillings; they also offer a few important benefits, including:

• Durability: Tooth-colored fillings “provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small- to mid-size fillings” in front and back teeth, according to the American Dental Association.
• Less Destruction of Healthy Tooth Structure: The decayed area of your tooth isn’t the only thing removed when you receive a filling. It’s important to also remove a certain amount of healthy tooth structure surrounding the decayed portion. Unfortunately, the larger the area removed, the weaker your tooth will become. Because only a small amount of healthy structure must be removed with tooth-colored fillings, your teeth stay stronger.
• No Temperature Change: Silver amalgam fillings contract and expand when they’re exposed to hot and cold temperatures, which may eventually crack your fillings or your teeth. Tooth-colored fillings don’t react even if you drink an ice-cold bottle of water or enjoy a piping hot piece of lasagna.
• Bonding: Composite resin is exposed to a curing light that hardens it and also bonds it to your tooth. Bonding helps strengthen your tooth, making it more resistant to cracking or breaking.
• Better Appearance: Before you receive your filling in our Mesa office, Dr. Weidner will hold composite resin samples against your teeth to find the ideal shade for your filling. As a result, your filling will look completely natural. Tooth-colored fillings also don’t darken teeth, a problem that can occur with silver amalgam fillings.

Tooth-colored fillings offer an effective way to restore your teeth without changing your appearance. If you’re concerned about an aching tooth or want to replace your old fillings with tooth-colored fillings, call our Mesa, AZ, dentist, Dr. Weidner, at (480) 290-7777.