Tooth Colored Restorations - Composite Fillings

Cosmetic dentistry is no longer just for the front teeth...

Those old silver fillings that have made your back teeth dark and unattractive can now be replaced with state-of-the-art materials that will make your teeth stronger, healthier and much more attractive.

In order to clarify some common questions and concerns we have put together some information regarding the use of composite (tooth colored) fillings versus amalgam (silver) fillings.

Composites are more cosmetically appealing than silver
Most patients, when presented with this option, choose the composite filling for this reason, even for back teeth
They blend into the natural color tooth structure and do not cause gray or bluish gray shadowing at the sides of the teeth
Most people will not even be able to see the new restoration
Composites usually cause less sensitivity than a new silver filling
They "seal" up the small sensitive tubules that lead from the outside of the tooth to the nerve chamber, decreasing hot and cold sensitivity
They are less hot and cold sensitive because they are not metal but reinforced plastic-type materials
Composites are very strong
They wear at a similar rate as silver fillings
We use a special composite sealer that decreases wear by up to 50%
Composites require less tooth destruction
They physically and chemically bond to the tooth structure
Silver is usually not bonded in and it is just "wedged" into the tooth to hold
Composites are repairable
We can rebond back to the original composite if one area is fractured or has a new cavity
We can, again, be more conservative because we don't have to remove the entire filling to repair/replace as with silver fillings
Composites are fully set before you even leave
The material is as hard as it gets so patients do not have to worry about fracturing a new restoration when they leave, especially with children
We use a "curing" light on the composites to fully harden them
Composites are easier for children
- Often there is no need for local anesthesia so the children love the fact that there is no "shot" to tolerate
- Composites are more conservative than stainless steel crowns for severely broken down baby teeth. Also, less gum irritation and a more natural look to the tooth
- Patients don't want their children to go through the bad experiences that they went through as children with big silver fillings and unsightly stainless steel crowns
- Cheek chewing due to the anesthetic
- Fracture of the new filling (it's difficult to tell a young child "do not eat on the side of your new filling")

The fees for these restorations are more of an investment to the patient since the materials are much more expensive. The time it takes the Doctor to do an excellent job on these technique sensitive restorations is much greater also. Dr. Allain believes these types of restorations are the future of Dentistry! They train continuously with the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry (where Dr. Allain has a Fellowship) to maintain the high clinical standards required for cosmetic restorations.

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