Pay Online
Giving You a Beautiful and Healthy Smile
Getting a cavity is not the end of the world when you can choose durable and appealing tooth-colored fillings to restore your smile! Gone are the days of having dark grey metal fillings mar the appearance of your teeth when you talk or laugh. Tooth-colored fillings in Bedford restore your tooth to health while keeping all the beauty of your natural smile.
What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Made Of?
Composite resin, which is made of a glass and plastic mixture, is the material used for tooth-colored fillings. This material is pliable and easy for Dr. Elam to work with because it can be molded to match the shape of your tooth. It can also be used to restore small cosmetic issues such as chips, fractures, spaces between teeth, and irregularly shaped teeth with a procedure called dental bonding.
Tooth-Colored vs. Amalgam Metal Fillings. What Are the Benefits?
While metal was a reliable material for repairing teeth for many years, it has its downfalls. Besides being very visible in your tooth, metal also breaks down over time due to the constant temperature changes in your mouth. Metal expands and contracts with temperature changes, which causes it to pull away from the tooth. When this happens, bacteria and acids are allowed back into the tooth where they can cause decay underneath your filling.
Dr. Elam can also place a composite tooth-colored filling without having to remove as much of your natural tooth structure. Preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible is always the most desireable and conservative approach.
How Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Placed?
Tooth-colored fillings are straightforward to place and your dentist in Bedford can typically complete them during one appointment. Dr. Elam will custom shade your composite filling to match your tooth and then bond the composite resin directly to it with a special curing light. Then she’ll smooth and polish your tooth so your filling blends with it flawlessly and your bite functions properly.
Caring for Your Tooth-Colored Fillings
It is surprisingly easy to take care of tooth-colored fillings as brushing and flossing your teeth doesn’t change at all.
Dr. Elam will also check the health of your fillings during dental examinations every six months to ensure that they aren’t wearing and that they are providing proper function.
With consistent daily brushing and regular dental checkups, your tooth-colored fillings have the potential to last for 10 to 15 years.
If you need a dental filling, it’s important not to delay your treatment as tooth decay can progress into the nerve of your tooth and cause an infection. Contact Dr. Elam today at (817) 283-2871 if it’s time to schedule your next appointment.