What Dentists Appreciate About Tooth-Colored Fillings
Because of the way they blend in naturally with a tooth’s structure, tooth-colored fillings are often preferred by people who need to treat a mild or moderate cavity. Unlike more conspicuous metal fillings, tooth-colored ones remain discreet enough to be virtually unnoticeable when you speak and smile. However, your teeth benefit from the more lifelike tooth fillings in more than just their appearance, and your dentist appreciates their ability to more successfully restore your teeth in the long-term.
They’re made from more biocompatible materials
For a tooth-colored filling to blend in with your healthy tooth structure, it has to match your tooth’s unique color and shade. This is possible due to the highly biocompatible materials that make up the composite resin used to create tooth-colored fillings. This resin is comprised of finely ground acrylic and quartz-like particles that not only can be tinted to match your tooth, but are also more compatible with your natural tooth structure than metal. For patients who have metal allergies, or who have underlying health concerns, this makes restoring teeth from cavity development a much safer process.
They help you protect your natural tooth structure
Treating a cavity isn’t just about replacing the healthy tooth structure that you’ve lost to it. For the treatment to be successful, your tooth’s filling must also protect it from future risks of infection by harmful oral bacteria. The area of the tooth that developed the cavity will be more vulnerable to impacts of harmful oral bacteria, and will rely on the filling to protect it. With it’s more natural and biocompatible nature, tooth-colored composite resin can be bonded more securely to your tooth’s structure to offer more effective protection. By reducing the risks of the tooth becoming infected again, the tooth-colored filling can also reduce your chances of needing more extensive tooth decay treatment later, such as root canal therapy.
They improve your tooth’s long-term health
When your tooth is afflicted with tooth decay, the cavity that forms and the structure that become infected can have significant long-term consequences for your oral health. For example, even after the decay is removed and the filling is securely placed, the type of filling within the cavity can impact other areas of your oral health. If the filling is metal, this may cause undue amounts of friction on opposing teeth when you bite and chew, increasing the risks of wearing down or damaging these teeth. Unlike traditional fillings, tooth-colored ones are designed specifically to interact more favorably with the natural structure of both the tooth it fills and the other teeth it interacts with. s
Treat your cavity with a tooth-colored filling
You may appreciate the more discreet appearance of a tooth-colored filling, but your dentist and your dental health appreciate much more about its biocompatible nature. To learn more, call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We also serve the residents of Kingwood, Conroe, Livingston, and all surrounding communities.