According to the CDC, over a quarter of American adults live with untreated dental cavities. This isn't just a cosmetic issue - it can also cause both painful aches and future health complications.
Tooth-colored fillings are ideal cosmetic dental treatments for a natural smile. They also serve several practical health-related purposes, too.
Here, we're going to talk about these fillings':
Read on to learn the benefits of natural dental fillings beyond the aesthetics.
Now that you know some ways that tooth-colored fillings can improve your oral health, it's time to look into your dental restoration options.
Those with visible holes in their teeth often feel embarrassed about their smiles.
Bupa Healthcare group found that 42% of people would change their smile if they were allowed to alter one aspect of their appearance. Researchers also found that a third of respondents were embarrassed by their grins.
Tooth-colored fillings are a natural-look solution to gaps and holes. After they're inside your mouth, you won't be flashing metal when you smile. This isn't just a good aesthetic—it's also beneficial for your self-esteem and mental health.
Many dental fillings are made with:
Tooth-colored fillings are primarily made with composite resins. They're:
Composite resins are the most popular dental filling type. They're great for:
Porcelain is another option for those who want their fillings to match their teeth's colors. It's the most expensive filling material, but it's:
Resin filling is easy and effective. It lasts for up to 10 years and is easy to replace with a new filling when needed.
Porcelain can last for decades, which is a huge benefit if you can afford the upfront payment. But it takes longer to install and isn't the best option for small cavities and chips. Talk with an experienced dental professional for a comprehensive run-down of both options.
Various filling materials have different costs:
Porcelain fillings match the color of your teeth and are expensive as a result. But composite resin mimics the natural color of your teeth, too.
Composite resin fillings are only about $191 per tooth!
That's way less than gold or porcelain. It's a little more than silver, but the resin lasts for a longer time and requires fewer replacements. You won't need to pay for a replacement filling any time soon.
Traditional metal fillings in Oklahoma dentistry don't just look awkward. They're also made with materials like mercury.
Mercury can have negative effects on the nervous system in some cases, causing headaches and nausea. While it's not the main material for any filling, trace amounts might be in the gold or silver used for dental care.
Using composite resins or ceramics means that no metal enters your mouth. You won't need to worry about bad oral health impacts from residual fillings!
Even if you're not worried about the health impacts of trace metals, avoiding metal fillings is still beneficial. Metal tends to:
When you use tooth-colored materials, they don't react to temperature changes like that. This will save you both discomfort and costly repairs.
Traditional metal fillings are the primary alternative to natural-looking aesthetic dental fillings. When you have these fillings inserted into your mouth, the dentist will
Conversely, Oklahoma dentists won't need to remove any of your healthy tooth matter for tooth-colored alternatives. Instead, they:
This allows you to keep as many of your natural teeth as possible. It's also healthier and less painful.
No matter how friendly your general dentistry practitioner is, you probably don't want to spend all day sitting in a dentist's chair. Placing a tooth-colored filling in a patient's mouth takes less than an hour since the composite resin just needs to harden.
The dentist:
Administers a local anesthesia
Takes decayed tooth matter out of the inside of the tooth
Puts liquid composite resin inside of the tooth
Hardens the filling with a curing light
Shapes the filling perfectly
Polishes it for a seamless appearance
It's that simple!
If you already have metal fillings but don't want them to be visible anymore, you'll be glad to know that you can easily replace silver/amalgam or gold fillings with porcelain!
A dentist will remove the fillings with professional tools, clean out the holes in your teeth, and re-fill them with porcelain.
This is a natural thing to do when your metal fillings begin to crack or chip. They'll inevitably need eventual replacement. You can wait until then if you need to.
But you can also get new tooth-colored fillings sooner rather than later. They're made to last a long time, so you won't be sitting in the dentist's chair again for quite a while!
At Dental Arts, we strive to make oral healthcare easy for patients. We offer 25% of in-office appointments and schedule patients for early morning, evening, and weekend care. We take a wide range of insurance plans to make natural dental fillings affordable.
Research Oklahoma dental services and make an appointment in Bixby ASAP!
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