When it comes to improving your teeth in the aftermath of a cavity, we only use composite fillings to treat your tooth decay while protecting the beauty of your smile. You may have heard us mention this restorative treatment before and wonder how it differs from metal fillings – also referred to as amalgam – and why we are so excited about it. While we realize you probably don’t feel overjoyed to visit us for a filling, we hope learning more about this solution and its benefits will give you a more enthusiastic outlook on scheduling your visit, as well as the long-term future of your smile.
Questions About Composite Fillings
Question: Why do people call them “white fillings?”
Answer: You may hear this treatment referred to as the aforementioned, as well as by the term “tooth-colored fillings.” That’s because we use composite, a synthetic resin material that we can color-match to your surrounding tooth.
Question: What will my tooth look like afterwards?
Answer: It will look like you never had a cavity.
Question: I hear that metal is not safe for everyone – is composite?
Answer: Our metal-free, composite fillings are safe for nearly all of our patients. This includes people allergic to metal and pregnant women.
Question: What can I expect from a filling?
Answer: We will numb your tooth and the surrounding area, remove the decayed tissue from the cavity, prep the opening, fill it with composite, and then adjust your bite once the filling is dry.
Question: What are some of the benefits of tooth-colored fillings?
Answer: Composite won’t cause additional heat- or cold-related sensitivity like metal will. Because it matches your tooth, your tooth will not appear gray or dark after your filling. This material also bonds to your tooth tissue for long-term wear.
ABOUT YOUR DOWNEY DENTISTS:
Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh, DDS, provide a wealth of combined experience, along with innovative technology and personalized care, to help improve our patients’ dental health so they can enjoy smiling again. To schedule a consultation, call Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry today at (562) 472-2433.
