Tooth decay treatment no longer requires an unattractive silver amalgam filling. Thanks to tooth-colored fillings, no one will be able to tell 
that you once had a cavity. Orange Park, FL, dentist Dr. Michael Vanover offers tooth-colored fillings and other dental services that help his patients maintain healthy smiles.
What are tooth-colored fillings?
Composite resin, an excellent alternative to silver amalgam, is often used to fill cavities today. Although the material is soft when it's placed in your mouth after the decayed part of your tooth has been removed, it quickly becomes as hard as tooth enamel when exposed to a curing light. Composite resin is made of powdered glass and plastic, giving it impressive durability and strength. The material is tinted to match common tooth shades, which helps it blend into the surface of your teeth.
Do tooth-colored fillings offer any advantages?
Tooth-colored fillings offer several benefits that silver amalgam fillings don't, including:
- Reduced Risk of a Tooth Fracture: Amalgam fillings contain a mixture of metals that react to temperature extremes by contracting and expanding. Since so much of the foods and drinks we consume are either cold or hot, the amalgam may contract and expand multiple times during the day. Years of expansion and contraction can stress your teeth, causing them to crack. Unfortunately, you may not even realize that you have a crack in your tooth until it fractures. Tooth-colored fillings don't expand and contract, which helps lower your fracture risk.
- Improved Strength: Tooth-colored fillings keep your teeth stronger by reducing the amount of healthy margin of tooth structure that must be removed during the filling process and by bonding to your teeth.
- No Discolorations: Large silver amalgam fillings may be obvious behind your tooth enamel or may bleed into your enamel with age. Tooth-colored fillings will never change the color of your tooth.
Improve your smile and protect your oral health with tooth-colored fillings. Call Orange Park, FL, dentist Dr. Vanover at (904) 272-2438 to schedule an appointment.