Tooth Coloured Composite Fillings
Do you have a cavity you suspect needs a filling? Before you visit a dentist there are some things you should know. Over the last 40 years, the materials that dentists use to fill decayed teeth have greatly advanced. Where once upon a time, as recently as 10 years ago, dentists would use silver fillings that contain mercury, a harmful toxic chemical. These silver fillings often would swell as time goes on, causing the tooth to be prone to further decay, and subsequently, the “death” of the tooth, when the decay reaches the root of the tooth or the nerve. At this point, what once was a filling, is now a tooth that requires a root canal and crown.
Save yourself from needless exposure to harmful chemicals and needless root canals with composite fillings. Composite fillings are the newest advancement in the materials used to fill decayed teeth. At Star Dental, since its inception, we have been using nothing but composite fillings, not only for the best option care of our patients but also because they look better. Composite fillings are able to closely match the colour of your existing teeth. These tooth-coloured fillings help to not only keep your smile healthy but also to keep your smile looking its best. Contact us today for an appointment or to find out more about our tooth-coloured fillings.
How much do tooth coloured filings cost?
Tooth Coloured fillings cost the same as the old fashioner Mercury Amalgam fillings that were use universally until the first composite restorations were used in 1969. There early composites did not last very long because they were not stuck i.e. bonded to the tooth structure. Ever since bonding was developed in the early 1970’s the composite fillings have matched and sometimes rivalled the old amalgam fillings for longevity.
How long can I expect my tooth coloured composite filling to last?
Composite fillings are now reasonanly expected tomlast as long as the old mercury amalgam fillings and while nothing lastes forever there are now some composite fillings that have lasted well over forty years.
How good is the colour match with tooth colured fillings?
The most modern tooth coloured filling materials use a chamelion effect to closely match the colour of the tooth into which they are placed. Most of the time the colour difference will be undetectable
How cloely can the dentist match the composite filling with the colour of my teeth?
Composite filling material are made in a large range of colours so that about 99 percent of natural tooth colours can be acurately matched.
What kind of tooth bonding chemicals do you use?
Since the eraly development of composite fillings, the bonding technology has gone through a series of revolutionary stages of development. At Star Dental we only use the very latest generation of enamel bonding techniques.*
Will my bonded composite develop stains?
Modern composite restorations are far less likely to develop surface stains or borderline delamination stains than the older generation of composite filling materials. Surface stains from niotine in smokers and tannin stains in tea and coffee drinkers can result in the composite restorations loosing their excellent coulr matching characteristics. In the majority of case the surface stains can be polished away to give the composite restorations a “good as new” appearance. However, delamination stains at the wedge of composite fillings are much more difficult to deal with and often the best slution is to remove the old restoration and replace it with a new generation composite that has a better ‘chamelion effect’ and a higher level generation bonding system.
Will my composite restorations glow in the dark?
No, composite filling materials do not glow in the dark. Composite restorations are made of tooth-coloured resin material that does not contain any phosphors or any other compounds o chemical that would make them emit light in the dark. Composite filling materials are designed to simulate the appearance of natural teeth vwery closely and do not possess any luminescent characteristics. Rest assured that composite fillings will never glow in the dark.
Author; Dr Jeremy Rourke, B.D.S. Hons. Syd Univ. Dental Surgeon
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