Restore Your Smile With Natural Composite Fillings

In the past, if you had a cavity, metal amalgam fillings were your only option to repair the damage. Dental fillings have come a long way over the last decade. Today, patients have a more attractive option compared to their obvious, metal counterparts: tooth-colored composite fillings. At McLean DDS, we provide natural-looking composite fillings to restore teeth to their full form and function.

Here’s a look at the benefits of composite fillings over traditional fillings.

Benefits of Composite Fillings

Composite resin fillings consist of a mix of glass and plastic. They are used to restore decayed teeth, as well as to improve the look of your teeth. They are a durable, conservative and highly aesthetic option to help repair damaged teeth to optimal health, function and appearance. The benefits of composite fillings include:

• They are natural looking. The most obvious benefit of composite fillings over traditional fillings is that they are not made of metal. Composite resin is a tooth-colored material designed to mimic the exact shade of your original tooth. This allows the filling to be virtually invisible in the mouth and is best suited to use in front teeth or the more visible areas of the mouth. Patients can smile, laugh, talk and yawn with confidence — no one will notice that a cavity has been filled!
• They preserve natural tooth structure. Composite resin is directly bonded to the surface of the tooth like an adhesive, which adds strength to the weakened tooth and prevents further breakage. Unlike large amalgam fillings, only the diseased portion of the tooth is removed with composite resin. This allows the dentist to retain more of the natural, healthy tooth enamel.
• They are versatile. Composite fillings can be used for various dental procedures other than filling a cavity. In addition to treating decayed teeth, tooth-colored resin can be used for cosmetic improvements such as changing the color of teeth or reshaping teeth.
• They are bio-compatible. Composite resin is a great option for patients who prefer bio-compatible dental treatments or who experience sensitivities to metal. Unlike amalgam fillings, composite resin contains no traces of mercury — a toxic substance found in metals. Although more research is needed to determine if amalgam restorations contain enough mercury to be harmful, many patients prefer to substitute safer, mercury-free filling materials, such as composite resin. At McLean DDS, we believe that what you put into your mouth can have lasting effects on your health and well-being. That is why we exclusively offer our patients the only BPA-free composite fillings on the market.

Learn More About Composite Fillings Today!

Thanks to today’s dental advances, treating a cavity no longer requires obvious dark, amalgam fillings. With their natural tooth shape and color, composite resin protects and repairs damaged teeth while safely preserving your beautiful smile. Contact McLean DDS today to learn more about how you can restore teeth weakened by cavities or replace old metal amalgam with tooth-colored composite fillings.