Composite Fillings in Frisco

Chances are, you have heard about people moving away from silver amalgam fillings and opting for white fillings  with cosmetic dentistry instead. For some, it has to do with the concern of mercury in the metal fillings. For others, it is an aesthetic issue. Read on or call us to learn more from a Frisco family dentist!

White resin or composite fillings have actually been used for decades. They have been the filling material of choice for anterior teeth for a very long time. Unlike the silver fillings, composites are able to be blended to match the color of your teeth and therefore do not show. They look and feel like your original tooth.

The drawback to using composite fillings on back teeth is that traditionally, they have not had the strength or durability to last as long as amalgam fillings. Silver fillings have been the standard material for molars for over 100 years. Only in the twenty first century have composite resins advanced to the stage where they can now rival their silver counterparts as a filling material for back teeth.

Using composite resins in molars gives your entire mouth a more natural, aesthetically pleasing appearance. You can open your mouth wide with laughter, and there will be no unsightly dark spots to be seen in your back teeth.

What is a Composite Resin?

Ceramic or glass are combined with plastic to create the composite resin. There are a wide variety of compounds making up this class of dental materials. Each type has its advantages. Resins used in bonding and filling large cavities use a curing light to harden the material. The composite is placed in layers with the light being used for each layer to ensure each is hard and strong.

One of the major advantages of composite resins is that, unlike amalgam that has to be tamped into the space to be filled, resins require less prepping of the tooth and bond to the tooth structure. They are also tooth-colored.

Once the material is in place and set, it is then trimmed and polished to a high gloss so that it looks and feels like your natural tooth structure. If you would like to have a fully natural smile, contact Parklane Family Dentistry today. Find out about replacing your silver fillings with natural-looking composite resins.