hen you have a cavity, it’s essential to treat it quickly. Prompt cavity treatment will keep decay from spreading to healthy teeth. At Rugby Dental Arts, Charlottesville, Virginia, our team uses composite fillings to treat cavities discreetly and quickly. Composite tooth-colored fillings blend in with the color of your natural teeth to make it difficult to tell you’ve had cavity treatment. You can smile without feeling self-conscious about having fillings.
Types of Fillings
Of the various types of fillings, the ones used most often by dentists today are silver amalgam and composite resin.
Silver amalgam fillings are composed of a mixture of metals that include silver, tin, copper, zinc, and mercury. These fillings are durable, provide long-lasting protection, and have been used for years to treat cavities. However, their metal and mercury content could pose a health risk to some people.
Composite fillings are composed of acrylic resin material combined with finely-ground quartz or other ceramic particles. Like silver fillings, composite fillings are strong and resist wear and tear. A feature that distinguishes them from silver fillings is their tooth-colored appearance that allows the filling to blend in well with your teeth, making it less visible when you smile. Using tooth-colored composite fillings, our team can discreetly treat your cavities.
Restorative Benefits of Composite Fillings
In addition to being discreet, composite fillings offer additional restorative benefits.
- Composite fillings bond securely to the teeth they treat, strengthening teeth that have been compromised by decay.
- Composite fillings don’t expand or contract with temperature changes in your mouth like silver amalgam fillings do, reducing your risk of tooth fractures and sensitivity.
- Composite fillings require less drilling before application, which conserves more of your natural tooth when undergoing cavity treatment.
Dental fillings are your go-to treatment for dental decay, and composite tooth-colored fillings can fit that bill beautifully. Composite fillings not only protect you from future decay but also preserve your smile’s esthetic appeal. To learn more about our composite filling treatments, contact our team from Rugby Dental Arts, Charlottesville, Virginia, at (434) 296-8034.
