Composite Fillings Repair and Preserve Teeth With Beauty and Safety
When you need tooth decay addressed or a damaged tooth fixed, please visit Brentwood Dental Care in Brentwood, California. Sometimes, a tooth filling may be all you need to restore your smile. Dr. Don Mungcal offers composite (tooth-colored) fillings to fix and beautify smiles plagued with damage and tooth decay.
The composite filling procedure
Cavity filling is a routine procedure in our office. Since not every dental problem is easy or small, we’ll first diagnose your problem to establish whether a tooth filling is the best restoration.
If a tooth filling is sufficient, the procedure evolves as follows:
- Tooth preparation: Before treatment, we’ll numb your mouth with a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. However, if the cavity is superficial, you don’t need anesthesia. Once you are comfortable, we isolate the compromised tooth with a dental dam to avoid saliva contamination.
- Decay removal: We carefully remove the decayed or damaged portion of the tooth and then clean and sanitize the area to eliminate all traces of decay.
- Tooth filling: We select composite resin that matches the shade of the existing enamel. We apply the material in layers and harden it using a curing light. We repeat this procedure until we achieve the optimal tooth shape and height.
- Final touches: We’ll reshape and polish the tooth until it shines naturally and feels normal.
Composite fillings can last many years with dedicated oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups, and cleanings. If you have a tooth grinding problem, please discuss with your dentist for a customized nightguard to protect your filling from damage.
Benefits of composite fillings
Before composites, amalgam fillings were the norm for dental repairs. While these silver-colored fillings did the job, they have safety and aesthetic concerns. Many dentists have switched to composite fillings because they offer numerous benefits, including:
- Natural appearance —composite fillings can be color-matched with existing teeth for undetectable dental work.
- Durable treatment — white fillings can last up to 10 years with proper care.
- Safety — unlike metal fillings composed of mercury, composite fillings are non-toxic and don’t trigger allergic reactions.
- Better bond —white fillings securely reinforce the tooth structure to protect the tooth from further damage and bacterial invasions.
Do you have cavities or tooth decay in Brentwood, CA? We can repair the damage with tooth-colored fillings. Please call (310) 444-9900 to request an appointment with Brentwood Dental Care. Soon, you’ll enjoy a beautiful, cavity-free smile.
