What Are the Different Types of Dental Fillings?

Did you know that a staggering 91 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 have tooth decay? That’s why your trusted team at Highlight Family Dentistry of Hutto emphasizes the importance of meticulous oral hygiene care coupled with twice-a-year dental exams and cleanings. Diagnosing tooth decay early on and repairing your teeth with dental fillings will prevent the need for extensive procedures down the road. 

What Are Dental Fillings?

Dental fillings are restorations used for cavity repair. When in place, they restore a tooth’s form, function, health, and integrity. If not addressed, tooth decay can progress and affect the tooth pulp, requiring root canal therapy. If a tooth is damaged beyond repair, we may need to extract it and replace it with a dental bridge, partial denture, or dental implant. Otherwise, the neighboring teeth may shift and tilt out of alignment, leading to a host of complications. 

Dental fillings don’t only treat cavities. They also repair tooth chips and fractures, as well as damage and wear resulting from chronic teeth grinding and clenching, a condition known as bruxism. Dental fillings offer an affordable and conservative restorative dentistry solution, leaving you with a healthy, functional smile. 

What Are the Common Types of Dental Fillings?

In the past, the only type of filling material available was dental amalgam. While these fillings are durable, their metallic color can interfere with your smile. Silver amalgam fillings are made of a combination of metals that expand and contract with temperature changes. These fillings although strong, could not flex at the same rate as the tooth which often resulted in fractures and cracks in the tooth structure over time. 

Highlight Family Dentistry is an amalgam-free dental office, meaning we do not offer silver fillings. Instead, we offer composite resin fillings, also known as tooth-colored fillings. These aesthetically pleasing restorations closely match the color and shade of your natural tooth enamel, delivering incredibly natural-looking results. 

Tooth-colored fillings continue to be improved upon and reinvented, with today’s modern restorations stronger and more durable than ever before. Once in place, your new filling will fortify your tooth structure, prevent further decay, and restore your beautiful, seamless smile. 

What Is the Dental Filling Procedure?

Placing your dental filling requires one short office visit. We will numb the area for your comfort, remove any damaged or decayed tooth structure, and clean and sterilize the space. Next, we will place the tooth-colored composite filling material and harden it using a special curing light. 

The final step is adjusting your filling and polishing it to achieve a texture that matches your natural tooth enamel. Your restored tooth will look, feel, and function just like any of your natural teeth. 

How Should You Care for Your Restored Teeth?

Make sure you care for teeth with dental fillings just like you would for your natural teeth. Brush and floss regularly, limit your consumption of sugary and acidic foods and beverages, and visit Highlight Family Dentistry for your regular dental exams and cleanings every six months. Our team will monitor your teeth and restorations to ensure they stay in tip-top shape. 

Tooth-Colored Fillings Near Me

Contact Highlight Family Dentistry of Hutto, TX, to learn more about repairing decayed or damaged teeth with our tooth-colored fillings. Our dedicated team is committed to providing our valued patients with outstanding dental care and service for long-term healthy smiles. Call us at (512) 886-2644 to schedule your appointment!