Composite Dental Fillings, a tooth-colored alternative to metal amalgam

Did you know that American adults have an average of three dental fillings, and one in four has 11 or more? Fillings are an effective way to halt tooth decay and restore the shape and function of a tooth after decay. But many patients are not thrilled about the appearance of silver amalgam fillings in their smile and may have concerns about the mercury content in metal amalgam. At Shadowridge Dental Group in San Marcos, California, we offer a tooth-colored, mercury-free alternative: composite dental fillings. 

The process for getting a composite filling

No matter what material is used, getting a filling placed consists of two major steps: first, the decayed portion of the tooth is removed, and then the filling is placed to restore the lost tooth structure. With metal amalgam fillings, a larger area of the tooth needs to be drilled out to place the filling, but with composite fillings, we can remove less of your natural tooth structure to place it. 

Composite fillings are placed in layers gradually built up to fill the hole left by the cavity. After “painting” the composite resin onto the tooth, we use a specialized ultraviolet light to help harden the filling before placing the next layer. This process is repeated until the filling is complete, and then we will make minor adjustments to the shape as needed so that it feels like your normal tooth and doesn’t affect your bite.

Benefits of composite fillings

Composite fillings offer many benefits to our patients. They are:

• Natural-looking, blending in easily with the rest of your teeth
• Conservative, requiring a minimal amount of tooth structure to be removed
• Durable, lasting up to 10 to 15 years with good care
• Effective, sealing off your tooth from further bacterial infiltration and decay

Your partners in oral health

At Shadowridge Dental Group, we are committed to helping our patients achieve their healthiest, most beautiful smiles. We are equipped with the latest technologies and tools that enable us to not only restore your smile to health but make it look great in the process. To schedule your appointment at our San Marcos, CA office, call (760) 284-8111 today!