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Providing quality composite fillings in Durham, Raleigh, and Goldsboro.
Are you struggling with a loose filling, a nagging toothache, or sensitivity when you bite or chew? Carolina Dental Arts is here to help! Our four convenient locations offer high-quality restorative dentistry treatments, including tooth-colored dental fillings. Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to a healthier, brighter smile with our expert care and advanced solutions.
Understanding Dental Fillings
A dental filling is a restorative dental treatment used to restore the function, integrity, and structure of a decayed tooth. A filling can also repair minor fractures or chips.
Tooth decay forms when plaque—a bacterial film—builds up on the teeth. These bacteria feed on sugars and starches from the food and drinks you consume, producing acids in the process. These acids gradually erode the tooth enamel, creating tiny holes or cavities. Left untreated, the decay can move deeper into the tooth structure, affecting the dentin and potentially leading to pain, infection, and more serious problems. Regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups are essential to prevent cavities.
The Importance of Treating Cavities
Dental fillings are crucial for maintaining oral health. They prevent further decay by sealing off spaces where bacteria can enter, thus preserving the tooth’s structure. Without a filling, decay can progress, leading to more severe dental issues such as infections, abscesses, or even tooth loss. By addressing cavities and minor tooth damage promptly with a filling, you can avoid more extensive and costly treatments in the future.
Types of Dental Fillings
Various materials, including composite resin, amalgam, gold, and porcelain, can be used for fillings, although amalgam and composite fillings are the most common.
Amalgam Dental Fillings
Silver amalgam fillings, made from various metals, including silver, copper, mercury, and tin, have been a common choice for many years due to their durability and strength. However, they come with several disadvantages. Their metallic color makes them highly visible. As a result, they can affect the overall aesthetic appeal of your smile, especially when used in more noticeable areas. Additionally, amalgam fillings can expand and contract with temperature changes, potentially leading to cracks or fractures in the tooth over time.
The presence of mercury in amalgam has also raised health and environmental concerns despite being considered safe by major health organizations. Another drawback is that the process of placing amalgam fillings requires the removal of a more healthy tooth structure than composite fillings, which can weaken the overall tooth structure.
Composite Dental Fillings
Composite fillings, made from a blend of plastic resins and glass particles, offer significant advantages over amalgam. Consider these advantages:
- More natural appearance: Composite fillings are tooth-colored, blending seamlessly with your natural teeth. This aesthetic benefit makes them an excellent choice for visible areas like the front teeth.
- Strong and durable: The materials used in composite fillings bond directly to your tooth structure, providing added strength and helping to prevent future breakage.
- More versatile: Composite fillings can fill cavities and repair chipped, cracked, or worn teeth.
- Less invasiveness: Compared to traditional metal fillings, composite fillings require us to remove less tooth structure, preserving more of your tooth.
The Composite Filling Procedure
At Carolina Dental Arts, our goal is to provide you with a comfortable, positive experience from the moment you walk in the door until after your procedure is completed. Here’s what you can expect during a composite filling procedure:
- Examination: We will examine your teeth, discuss your symptoms, and take any necessary X-rays to determine the extent of damage or decay.
- Preparation: To ensure a pain-free experience, we will use a local anesthetic to numb the affected area. The decayed portion of the tooth is then removed using a special drill. We will shape the cavity to prepare it for the composite material. As we work, we will use a suction tool to remove debris and saliva, keeping the area dry.
- Filling placement: We apply the composite resin in layers. Each layer is quickly hardened using a special curing light.
- Shaping and polishing: Once the filling is in place, we will shape and polish it to match the natural contours of your tooth, ensuring a comfortable and natural bite.
Say Goodbye to Cavities With Composite Dental Fillings
Composite fillings effectively combat enamel damage and protect your smile by removing tooth decay. With composite fillings, we can restore your tooth’s function and appearance while maintaining more of its natural structure and strength.
If you or a loved one is experiencing tooth pain or you notice a visible cavity, please contact Carolina Dental Arts today to schedule a visit. Our friendly and professional team is dedicated to providing personalized care to help all of our patients achieve a healthy, beautiful smile!
Frequently Asked Questions
Signs that you may have a cavity include:
- Persistent toothache or pain that occurs without an obvious cause
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks
- Visible holes or pits in your teeth
- Staining on the surface of your teeth that appears brown, black, or white
- Discomfort when biting down or eating
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, we encourage you to schedule an appointment. Left unaddressed, these issues can worsen, leading to more serious problems.
Composite dental fillings typically last between 5 to 10 years. Their longevity is based on various factors, such as the location of the filling, its size, your oral hygiene, and your diet. With proper care—including regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups—composite fillings can remain effective and intact for many years. However, they may need to be replaced eventually as a result of wear and tear.
Dental fillings are used to repair minor tooth decay or damage. They can fill small cavities to restore the tooth’s function and shape. They are usually made from materials like composite resin or amalgam and are applied directly into the cavity.
Dental crowns, on the other hand, are used for more extensive tooth restoration. They cover the entire visible portion of the tooth, providing structural support and protection. We often place them after procedures like root canals or when a tooth is severely damaged or decayed. Crowns are often made from porcelain, ceramic, or metal.
Inlays and onlays are intermediate options between fillings and crowns. Inlays fit within the grooves of a tooth’s biting surface, while onlays extend over one or more of the tooth’s cusps (the elevated portion). They are typically made from porcelain, composite resin, or gold and are used when the damage is too extensive for a filling but not severe enough to require a full crown. These restorations are custom-made in a dental lab and then bonded to the tooth.
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