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Tooth Colored Fillings

Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth colored, or white, fillings offer a discreet method for restoring teeth from decay or minor damage. The same material can also be used to make cosmetic improvements to a flawed front tooth. Silver, or amalgam, was the trusted solution for many years — but your dentist at Torbram Dental prefers natural, aesthetic tooth colored fillings in Brampton, On.

What Are Tooth Colored Fillings?

Unlike silver fillings, the tooth colored alternative blends beautifully with your surrounding tooth enamel. Tooth colored fillings fill the cavities left by tooth decay, or they may be used to restore the size, shape, and color of a damaged tooth. Old silver dental work can also be replaced with tooth colored fillings.

The material for tooth colored fillings is a white composite resin made out of smooth plastic and glass particles. This solution actually bonds with the surface of your tooth, meaning it restores almost all of the tooth’s natural strength after decay. Set under a special UV light, tooth colored fillings are dry within minutes after their application.

Tooth Colored Fillings Compared to Silver Fillings

The differences between tooth colored fillings and their silver counterparts are significant. Some of the most apparent include:

  • Tooth colored fillings are highly customizable to blend with the surrounding tooth enamel.
  • Composite resin forms a secure bond with the tooth enamel. An amalgam filling is secured with cement.
  • Tooth colored fillings are stronger than those made of amalgam.
  • Tooth colored fillings require less removal of healthy tooth structure.
  • Composite resin is less sensitive to heat and cold.
  • Tooth colored fillings dry immediately — silver fillings take up to 12 hours to fully set.

Many patients appreciate the fact that tooth colored fillings are made out of biocompatible composite resin. Amalgam contains a sizable amount of elemental mercury — an increasing concern in today’s health-focused world. Some people opt to have their functioning silver dental work replaced with a tooth colored filling to avoid the potential for mercury exposure. You and your dentist can fully discuss the pros and potential cons of filling replacement.

Cosmetic Bonding With Tooth Colored Fillings

Minor dental flaws are improved with the same composite resin used for tooth colored fillings. A painless procedure completed in just one visit to Torbram Dental, cosmetic bonding is an excellent alternative to more expensive or complex cosmetic procedures, like porcelain veneers.

To treat your teeth with cosmetic bonding, your dentist places the resin directly onto the affected tooth and artfully sculpts a new surface. The procedure can correct chips, cracks, minor gaps, and stains or discoloration. In some cases, cosmetic bonding can eliminate the need for orthodontic treatment altogether. Patients with severe tooth crowding or major bite misalignments will still benefit from traditional braces.

Schedule an Appointment at Torbram Dental

At Torbram Dental, we are pleased to offer our patients high tech dentistry with a soft touch. Are you in need of excellence in general, restorative, or cosmetic dental care? We warmly welcome you and those you love most to our state-of-the-art office. Please schedule an appointment today!