How Dental Fillings Can Safeguard Your Smile?

An incredibly common restorative treatment, dental fillings help preserve the health of a patient’s smile by stopping the progression of tooth decay and restoring a tooth’s natural function and aesthetic. Certain types of filling materials can also be used to repair teeth that have experienced chips or cracking and to close unwanted gaps in a patient’s smile.

What types of materials are used in dental fillings?

There are three main types of filling materials: composite (tooth-colored), amalgam (silver), and gold.

• Composite fillings are made from a mix of plastic and glass materials and are often used for cavities in the smile zone – the area that’s most visible when a patient smiles. They provide strong chewing support to teeth and require less removal of a patient’s tooth to apply.
• Amalgam fillings are made from a mix of metals, including silver, tin, and mercury, and because of their impressive durability, are often used for cavities in the molar region.
• Gold fillings are made from solid gold and are often used for patients who have allergies to other types of filling materials.

How should fillings be cared for?

As with your natural teeth, teeth that have been restored with dental fillings should be diligently cared for with regular brushing, flossing, checkups, and professional cleanings from our team.

Interested in learning more about dental fillings and how they may help your smile? Call our friendly team today!