Questions About White Fillings
Advances in dental technology make it even easier to achieve a beautiful smile, even when your teeth become decayed or injured. One way Dr. Walter Palmer keeps a smile healthy and looking natural at his River Bluff Dental practice is with white fillings, also called tooth colored fillings.
What are white fillings?
White fillings are an alternative to silver mercury for filling dental cavities. Made of composite resin, white fillings typically require only one office visit. The tooth decay is removed and the tooth colored filling is inserted into the space, shaped to fit the grooves of your teeth and polished to a beautiful sheen.
White fillings can also be used for cosmetic enhancements of your teeth. The same composite material is molded to the damaged tooth to restore its natural shape and function. This process is also called dental bonding.
What dental problems can white fillings fix?
White fillings can repair teeth that are:
- Decayed
- Chipped
- Cracked or broken
- Worn down
- Widely spaced
White fillings are often used today to replace old silver mercury fillings that can make a person’s smile less attractive.
What are the advantages of white fillings?
White fillings are popular today because they:
- Can be color-matched to your tooth so they look invisible
- Allow Dr. Palmer to fill small cavities
- Require Dr. Palmer to drill a smaller hole for the material to easily penetrate
- Make the tooth stronger
- Expand and contract with heat and cold which reduces the chance for fracture
- Allow Dr. Palmer to identify future decay under the tooth colored filling
- Are durable
- Are a safer alternative to silver fillings
Dr. Palmer will discuss the white filling process in detail with you, including the estimated cost of the procedure, before he begins any treatment.
Besides a slight increase in cost over silver fillings, there are no serious disadvantages to using white filings. If you would like to learn more about this procedure and find out if your smile could be enhanced through this process, please contact Minneapolis, Minnesota cosmetic dentist Dr. Walter Palmer at River Bluff Dental today for a consultation.
