Tooth-Colored Fillings San Antonio
Flawless Repair for Your Cavities
For generations, the only material dentists used to fill cavities was amalgam, or a mix of different metals such as silver, tin, and mercury. Not only were these fillings highly noticeable in your smile, but they could also cause oral health problems in the future. Here at Troy Jones, DDS & Associates, your dentist in San Antonio uses tooth-colored fillings instead. As the name implies, they can be customized to blend in with the rest of your smile, resulting in a more pleasing appearance as well as improved oral health. Need help to repair a cavity-stricken tooth? Call and schedule an appointment with our team today.
Why Choose Troy Jones, DDS & Associates for Tooth-Colored Fillings?
- Dentists Who Will Ensure Optimal Protection & Beautiful Aesthetics
- Dental Practice Serving the San Antonio Area for Decades
- Relaxing & Comfortable Dental Office with Updated Technology
What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings?
Thanks to the latest advancements in dental technology, metal is no longer the standard for preventing decay from further damaging teeth. Instead, we use composite resin, a putty-like substance that can be custom-shaded to match the color of your existing enamel. This biocompatible material is made of fine particles of glass and plastic. Because composite resin can form a direct bond with your tooth, it offers countless benefits over traditional metal fillings.
Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings
The most obvious advantage of tooth-colored fillings is their ability to resemble your natural teeth almost perfectly, repairing your cavities without drawing attention to them. However, they offer more than just aesthetic benefits. These fillings also:
- Preserve more of your natural tooth structure. Metal fillings can’t chemically bond with your tooth, so more enamel has to be carved out to make room. Tooth-colored fillings, on the other hand, require little, if any, removal of your natural tooth structure.
- Cause less sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. Without a strong bond to your tooth, metal fillings aren’t as effective at blocking off the sensitive nerves inside your tooth. Composite resin forms a powerful barrier that protects these nerves, minimizing sensitivity.
- Protect against further decay. Due to the direct bond created by the composite resin, the inner chamber of your tooth is sealed off against harmful bacteria, reducing your risk of developing cavities in the future.
The Process of Filling Your Cavities
When you visit us every six months for a checkup and cleaning, we may discover that you have a cavity that needs to be filled. We’ll do our best to make the process as quick and stress-free as possible. First, we apply a local anesthetic to numb the area. Next, we remove the decay and sanitize the tooth. Using a special chart to determine which color of the composite resin we should apply, we fill the cavity layer by layer until the tooth is fully built up. The resin is hardened quickly with an ultraviolet curing light. We’ll check to make sure the filling fits within your bite before giving the tooth one last polish.
If you can tell you have a cavity that needs treatment, or if you have a metal filling you want to be replaced with a tooth-colored alternative, call our San Antonio dental office today!