For many, many years silver amalgam was the most commonly used material for dental fillings. In fact, this durable material is still available in many dental offices. While it’s true that silver amalgam is quite strong, it does have drawbacks. After several years, the color of the amalgam changes from silver to nearly black. And although experts disagree about whether or not the level of mercury in amalgam is hazardous to humans, many patients and dentists still have concerns over the fact that any mercury at all is present in a dental material. Fortunately, modern dental technology has presented another option: tooth colored fillings. Dr. Reddy and the staff at Best Smiles Dental are pleased to offer tooth colored fillings to our patients at our Hutto, TX, office.

An Introduction to Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth colored fillings are made from a composite resin material that can be custom made to almost perfectly match the shade of the patient’s natural teeth. This means that fillings are virtually invisible. But there are other advantages to tooth colored fillings as well. The composite material is very durable and usually lasts for many years. And the process involved in getting a tooth colored filling is almost exactly the same as the one required for the old-style silver amalgam fillings.

The Tooth Colored Filling Procedure

If you’ve ever had a filling of any sort, you already know the procedure involved in getting a new tooth colored filling. Dr. Reddy first numbs the area around the affected tooth. Then, all decay (and/or old filling material) is removed from the tooth. Dr. Reddy then cleans the tooth surface and fills it with a composite resin material that is specially created to match the shade of your natural teeth.