A dental filling is the best treatment for tooth decay. At Laser Dental Group in Union, New Jersey, the team of experienced dentists offers mercury-free fillings with tooth-colored materials for an aesthetically pleasing look. Tooth-colored fillings restore your smile without metal. To find out if fillings are right for you, call Laser Dental Group or schedule an appointment online today.
request an appointmentWhat are fillings?
Fillings are a type of cavity treatment that rebuilds and protects the decayed portion of your tooth. After removing signs of decay from your affected tooth, your dentist uses a filling to restore its shape and size. Along with treating tooth decay, fillings can also repair cracked teeth and teeth worn down by grinding.
Are there different types of fillings?
There are many types of fillings, but the most common uses amalgam metals. Silver fillings are durable and long-lasting, but they don’t have much aesthetic appeal. They also contain mercury, which can lead to mercury poisoning in rare cases. Over time, the amalgam in silver fillings breaks down your tooth’s structure, increasing your risk of cracks and fractures.
That’s why Laser Dental Group offers mercury-free, tooth-colored fillings. Also called white fillings, these fillings blend in with the natural color of your teeth. Composed of porcelain and composite-resin, tooth-colored fillings bond to the surface of your tooth. They restore the natural shape and size of your tooth and strengthen it.
While traditional silver fillings require the removal of some of your natural tooth’s structure, tooth-colored fillings don’t. This allows your dentist to preserve most of your natural tooth even after removing decay.
What happens when placing a filling?
When you come in for your filling, your dentist uses a local anesthetic to numb the area around your affected tooth to ensure you feel as comfortable as possible. Next, they remove the entire decayed portion of your tooth to eliminate your cavity.
Your dentist then applies the tooth-colored filling material and hardens it with a special curing light. Hardening the resin gives the filling a tighter bond to strengthen the tooth. The entire process is quick and painless.
What if I already have old fillings?
If you have an old filling that needs replacement, Laser Dental Group offers a laser dental treatment to carefully remove the damaged filling without drilling into your teeth. The laser directs light into the affected tooth to eliminate decay on contact. This provides a clean, healthy surface for your dentist to place a new filling.
To learn more about fillings, call Laser Dental Group or schedule an appointment online today.