Do you have a tooth cavity and need a dental filling? Are you looking for an alternative to metal fillings? We can help. Our dental office offers white dental fillings made of composite, tooth-colored materials. This modern alternative to metal fillings helps patients preserve their teeth. Learn more about how you can benefit from white dental fillings in our Greenwood, IN, dental office and how white fillings can prevent future dental problems.
Receiving White Dental Fillings in Woodstock, MD
Patients are candidates for dental filling treatment if they have cavities, also known as holes or pits in the tooth enamel. Other signs of tooth decay to look out for can include:
- Brown, black, and grey spots on teeth
- Toothaches and sharp tooth pain
- Tooth sensitivity
- Bad breath (halitosis)
We clean and disinfect the treated area to begin treatment with dental fillings. Then, we numb the tooth and surrounding gum tissue. We remove decay from the cavity and prepare the tooth for the filling. Additionally, we color-match the resin to the shade of natural teeth.
Our office can also provide fillings for patients who require root canal treatment. Root canals remove the infected dental pulp from within a tooth. The dental pulp consists of the nerves, cells, and blood vessels that keep teeth healthy and alive. Removing infected pulp and sealing a tooth with a filling helps prevent reinfection and avoids the need for a tooth extraction. Dental fillings offer strength within the tooth and on the tooth surfaces. We can also strengthen a tooth after a root canal with a dental crown, made of porcelain or ceramic materials.
Do Metal Fillings Contain Mercury?
Traditional metal fillings are made of liquid mercury, copper, silver, and tin. Mercury bonds the alloys together and can also take the form of a powdered alloy to create a strong filling. However, biting and chewing with metal fillings can release mercury vapors. Although mercury intake can be minimal, an increased number of silver fillings can be linked to mercury in the blood. Over time, biting and chewing release mercury vapor.
We recommend white fillings over traditional metal fillings because even removing metal fillings can be difficult. Dentists need to be careful to remove the metal fillings and prevent mercury ingestion.
White dental fillings are made of composite, which not only blends in with the natural enamel but does not contain harmful substances like mercury. While metal fillings are durable, white fillings also provide strength to teeth without compromising patients’ health.
Do you want to know more about white dental fillings? Call Dr. Benjamin Stevens and the team at Beautiful Smiles at (317) 886-4512. Feel free to schedule a dental consultation on our website. We’re here to answer all of your dental questions.