Tooth-colored fillings blend in with your smile in Alpharetta, GA

For many years in dentistry, metal amalgam was used to fill teeth that had cavities. Even though it was effective at serving this purpose, its silver color is very visible in the smile and some patients have concerns about allergies or toxicity due to the metal and mercury in the amalgam material. At Alpharetta Smile Care, Dr. Worful offers patients in the Alpharetta, Milton, Canton, Cumming, Roswell, and surrounding GA communities an effective alternative: tooth-colored composite fillings.

How do tooth-colored fillings work?

White cavity fillings are made from a material called composite resin, which is used in a variety of ways in dentistry because of its versatility and ability to be shaded to match your natural tooth color. When Dr. Worful performs a composite filling, he:

• Gently numbs the treatment area so you are pain-free and comfortable throughout your treatment
• Removes the decayed area of the tooth with specialized dental tools
• Cleans and sanitizes the area
• Places the composite resin into the treatment area layer by layer, curing it with a blue light between layers for a strong and durable finish
• Checks your bite and adjusts the shape of the filling as needed so it has the same contours as your natural tooth

Benefits of tooth-colored fillings

White composite fillings are more than just aesthetically appealing, though that is an important benefit. Patients and dentists alike may choose them for several reasons:

• They conserve healthy tooth structure: because the composite resin material actually bonds to the surface of the tooth, less healthy tooth structure needs to be removed to place the filling than when metal amalgam is used, and the composite actually helps support and strengthen the tooth
• They can be used in places that amalgam cannot: similarly, because of the bond between the tooth and filling material, composite resin can be used to repair areas such as front teeth that are not a good option for amalgam
• Composite resin expands and contracts at the same rate as natural teeth: unlike metal, which has a higher expansion and contraction rate, composite resin expands and contracts when exposed to hot or cold temperatures similarly to natural teeth, which means that they are less likely to fracture or break due to the filling and cause less tooth sensitivity

Call Alpharetta Smile Care at (678) 762-1601 to schedule your appointment today!